Girl Who Grew Up Akatsuki: Remake
by xxyangxx2006
Summary: Kari is a summoner. She can summon any creature that she wills. The problem? She is the last one left and she's not even nine, and what does Madara want with her? OC TEMPORARY HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **_**Well here is the redo. I finally got around to it! And just so you know every character you see in this story that isn't from Naruto and his world belongs to me. I don't appreciate thieves and may karma come back and bite you in the butt! Also thanks to everyone who read the original, but after a flame I go on the last one I realized just how horrible it was. Thank you sun-flavour and sorry I snapped at you again, you were right! **

**But for all of those who enjoyed it I will still keep it up and to let you know that this story is almost completely different. You can even tell by this first chapter how different it is. Now on with the story!**

"_The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes and adult; the day the child forgives himself, he becomes wise." - Alden Nowlan_

~oOo~

She looked around at her surroundings, and found that once again she only saw the moss and wet stone she saw for the past month. She had no way to tell how much time she spent here except for a guard who stood outside her door. He was always nice but only because she was a child and had her parents taken away from her from their virus they sent onto her village, which they themselves caught when they burned the infected dead.

When they first came to the peaceful village the invading force said they only wanted to pass through, but soon just passing through meant that they would try and make the young girl's village into slaves. For they heard that her village had a very special kekkei genkai that enabled them to summon creatures with ease.

But rumors can sometimes disappoint, as they soon found out as they tried to see this power they sought.

In order to summon these creatures the summoner had to give up more blood then just a small bit from a bite mark on the finger. This girl's kekkei genkai made it so that every time she summoned a beast, which they would do by making a song or make noises of that beast, she, and others with her power, would only have to give up a small bit of chakra ,and the summoned beast would stay until the summoner dismisses it without wasting anything, but would have to give up two handfuls of blood, and four if the beast is strong enough, to summon it.

Though if a person was strong enough and trained enough they wouldn't have to use that much blood; the strongest elders of the village only had to use a small bite to the finger. The only problem with that is that the invaders virus infected the elderly first, and with them the secrets of the village. And being a peaceful village the villagers either gave up and surrendered to be taken into captivity, or a few fought back and died when they released the virus, and some few lucky families used another of their abilities to their kekkei genkai so that they could travel to the summons world with a small drop of blood.

Though this little girl's parents were one of those people who gave up, but while in prison they tried to escape after the people tried to take the young girl for experiments. They got nearly halfway to the village outskirts when the young girl's parents were killed right in front of her with direct injections of the virus. The young girl was also shot but she was one of the lucky one's who had immunity to it already, but she didn't consider herself lucky. She was forced by the guards to watch as her parents bled from nearly every pore and seized around the ground while in their own feces.

The young girl would never forget that day because that was the day she summoned her first beast and the first day she took away a human life. When other guards came, they saw her sitting in a circle of blood with a summoned beast dispersing into a cloud of smoke, with the dead guards and her parents surrounding her. The new guards assumed that to protect their child, her parents killed the other guards to their last breath, and they took pity on the girl who was frozen in a state of shock.

She was then placed in this cell she was in and she could here everything from this spot. She could hear as the invading guards each died of their own virus, she could hear each of the villager's being tortured to do what the guards ordering, she could even hear as they virus changed so that the previously immune caught it and died.

Soon, only she and her guard were left and when he realized this he panicked and scavenged the dead for anything he could use. The last stop he made was to the little girl's cell. She was so quiet that he didn't know if she was alive, but when he realized she was, he took the young six year old girl and fled the village. She was in a state of shock when she actually saw her village again after so long, and to see the sun again that she had to be carried by the guard.

The next day she was finally out of it and when she looked at the guard she couldn't feel hate for him. He may have been one of the men who participated in the invasion of the village but he did nothing to her. She wanted to blame him for everything, but she could never do it because her mind kept thinking that he was a victim too, even though his comrades did bring about their own destruction. Though she didn't trust him all the way yet.

She didn't think she could trust any one for a long time.

As they were walking for their sixth straight day after they retreat when they realized that they didn't know each other's names. The guard turned to the young girl and realized he never even got a good look at her. She had messy shoulder length golden-brunette hair, and her blue-gray eyes seemed too old for such a young child. The only think that made her look like a normal child was her height and weight and that she looked healthy, if not filthy. That made him smile a bit because he knew that from his extra care, she didn't look like the skeletal children he saw in the village.

She also looked at him and saw that he was quite a tall man a bald head. His eyes were a deep brown and she could tell from the small wrinkles under his eyes that either he didn't sleep much, or that he was about his late twenties. She also saw that his skin was lightly tanned and compared to her sun depraved skin she was like a ghost.

When they camped for dinner that night the man said, "My name is Samoa Haru, and I'm sorry for not introducing myself sooner." he was trying to be polite, "May I ask for your name?"

The young girl looked up at him and nodded saying, "My name is Ramose Kari, and it is a pleasure to meet you Samoa-san."

He chuckled and said, "You don't have to call me by my family name. Just call me Haru."

Kari smiled in what seemed like the first time in ages and said, "Than you may call me Kari, Haru-san."

Haru smiled and pat her head as he passed her a roasted fish, "Thank you Kari-chan."

That was the day also that Kari started to try and begin to trust the man more. That was also the day they arrived in their first village since they left Kari's destroyed one. It was also the first day that Kari got a bath since then. Haru turned to Kari and said, "So we don't arise any suspicion we will act like father and daughter, so you will have to use my family name incase anyone asks."

Kari nodded and said, "As long as I get a bath I'll do it." and she smiled.

Haru smiled at her and said, once he realized that he himself needed to clean himself, "I guess I will just have to get a room at one of the hot springs they have here."

The young girl smiled and clapped her hands and jumped into the air cheering. She may be able to like this man soon if he kept being this nice. When they entered the village they got a few strange glances over their dirty appearance, but once they went into the hot springs and got a room, they hardly saw anyone; even when they got to the outdoor baths they didn't meet anyone.

It was a bit weird for Haru to have to wash a young child that wasn't his own, but he only had to get her back and help her with her hair before she announced she could wash herself. They turned around from each other and cleaned themselves before putting on a towel to cover up while they relaxed and talked about what they would do. And after they got out of the baths, and got on their robes Kari's stomach growled, quite loudly and Haru laughed saying, "I guess it's about time for dinner. Let's get back to the room and order some food."

Kari nodded and smiled, "Thank you Haru-san."

Haru smiled and patted the girl's head and led her back to their room, and once there Haru did as he said. Then after five minutes they started to receive their meals and after their meal Kari went to the window and sat on the ledge looking out at the moon. She heard Haru move about the room and when she looked back she saw that he was resting on his bed and she smiled when she saw that he set up her bed as well.

She then quietly went to her bed and slipped under the sheets, and she wished she hadn't. The close quarters of the room was that of her cell and her dreams quickly turned to memories of the past.

She woke up the next morning, being shook by Haru and he was woken by her screams. Haru guessed that what his comrades did to this girl's village made it so that she wouldn't be able to sleep indoors a room due a subconscious reminder of her time in her cell.

When they packed their things, Haru said, "I know of a group of people that travel around and perform around the world. I think they would be able to take us in and give us a spot."

Kari smiled and said, "And can I help perform with them?"

Haru smiled at her and said, "Well I wouldn't see why not, but we would have to see what was open."

Kari nodded and said, "I think that will be cool then if we go."

Haru smiled and said, "Then off to the gypsies we go."

Kari smiled and grabbed Haru's hand as they exited the village. Haru swung their hands back and forth and it wasn't but a day until they reached the gypsy camp. The leader was Haru's twin brother, Hake, who's only difference from his brother was his eyes were emerald, came out and greeted them with open arms. Kari felt a bit out of place as they discussed old times and things she didn't understand but soon Hake turned to her and asked Haru, "So is this one yours Haru?"

Haru smiled a little and said, "Not by blood but I've been caring for her this past week."

Hare looked at his brother and said, "Then I would like to here about it later, but for now let's see what she can do and we'll get you all introduced while we're at it."

Kari and Haru nodded and they went out and introduced to the members of the nomadic performers. There were the dancers named Nave, Sandra, Melina, and Amice, as well as fire eaters named Samuel and Ezekiel. There was a tale spinner named Marie, and a fortune teller named Nadia, and an animal tamer named Cristo. There were some other people who helped out named Namé, Josephine, and Rikard. Once everyone was introduced Hake turned to Haru and put him in charge of guard duty and to teach Kari the way of a shinobi.

Haru thought that would be for the best and when she wasn't training, Kari would be errand girl and help Cristo with the animals seeing as how he and the animals enjoyed her company. Haru was the only one besides Kari that knew that was only so because she was so close to the summons and their world due to her power.

As soon as assignments and other arrangements were given to Haru and Kari, it was time for some dinner and Kari took this opportunity to talk more with Cristo to see what she would have to do, which she found out was to help clean them and after them, feed them, and just play with them, and then after dinner, Haru would take her and train her. Kari thought this was acceptable and thought that she would be able to do this.

She then looked at the sky and thought that this was a good way to make a new start to her six year life, and thanked Fate that she was given this chance… she just wished that her parents were here to join her on this new adventure.

The next day she had got started on her job and met all kinds of animals she only thought she would see from summonings, but was glad she did. She loved them all and thought she wouldn't mind doing this forever, but training was boring. She was glad that her parents trained her in some of knowledge about chakra control and some other knowledge that a shinobi should know, but there was still a lot to learn. Haru tried to make it interesting, but some things, like math, Haru just couldn't find a way to get to be fun; he never really liked it, but it was essential.

Kari was dead tired after their lesson but wished it would speed up a bit and she could learn things faster. She was always good at remembering things, but that wouldn't increase the time of the lessons or decrease the amount she needed to know anytime soon.

She slipped into her sleeping bag, and turned to Haru and said, "Thank you Haru-san."

He smiled and said, "You're welcome Kari-chan, but may I ask for what?"

Kari looked at the sky and said, "I realized that I'm not mad at you for what your comrades did because you didn't leave me."

Haru looked at her with a sad smile and said, "But it doesn't make up for what we did."

"No, but," Kari began, "you have always been nice to me, you took me away even though it would probably make it harder for you to care for me, you gave me a new home, and a new life. I think you made up for your sins against me."

Haru then asked with a small chuckle, "And how come a six year old can come up to this conclusion."

Kari turned to him and said, "Cristo and I were talking about ourselves today and he brought up that fact, and it got me thinking, so thank you Haru-san." and she smiled at him and he pat her head.

"Well then I should thank you for forgiving me." Haru stated with a small smile, "Even though I have yet to forgive myself, even though I did only guard the prisoners, I still was with my comrades. Even though I gave you and the others more comforts, I did nothing to stop them."

Kari nodded and said, "I still forgive you Haru-san." and she then yawned and said, "Good night and thank you." and she was asleep.

~oOo~

Two years later the young girl is now eight and had excelled in her shinobi training. She may not be a Chuunin but she was a very high leveled Genin. Haru was very proud of her and she and he made a family of their Gypsy tribe. All the females of the tribe took t her quickly and then few men in their group soon came to accept her as well. Haru on the other hand, being the leader's brother, respected as such and as protector of their family.

Kari though recently was always doing something by herself lately and Haru was worried. Even though she never really gained her color back from her time in captivity except for a small tan, she seemed sickly pale and even more tired than her normal energetic self.

One day, Haru followed her and realized that once she started to sing, and her eyes grew the tiny, black, twelve zodiac animals around her iris, that she had been training her kekkei genkkei. He mentally cursed when he saw her cough up some blood, but it was only a handful, and he wondered just how many times she had been training, and what shocked him was that such a large summoning appeared. He then realized that she was also using a cloaking jutsu so that the camp wouldn't see and he wondered just how skilled this once weak girl actually was. Was she training extra every night even after their extended training?

He headed back to camp and pondered some more on this subject when Hake came up to him and asked, "So where is our little Kari?"

Haru looked at his brother and said, "She's out practicing her kekkei genkkei."

Hake's eyes widened and said, "Is that why she's been so pale?" Haru told Hake about this when they first arrived.

Haru looked over where he last saw Kari and nodded, "It seems as if she's been practicing on it quite a lot because she isn't letting out a much blood as what we found out is normal." Hake nodded and Haru continued, "and she seems to have been practicing extra after our lessons because she put up a pretty large cloaking barrier."

Hake smiled and said, "I remember a time when she wouldn't even want to practice and said she wanted to quit. I wonder what happened." Haru nodded and Hake continued, "Well then, we'll just have to get her to eat more or sneak some vitamins or something in her food to make sure she regenerates her blood faster. Can't have one of our own working herself sick." Hake then walked away and Haru smiled, Kari really had a good life here.

Kari walked back exhausted. She really didn't want to stop her training but she knew that if she didn't she would be in trouble. Their tribe already noticed her lack of energy and color, but she didn't want to worry them if she didn't come back. When she sat down for dinner she leaned against Nave and asked, "How long until we get to the next town?"

The dancer smiled and said, "If we travel on through the night we should be there for the morning."

Kari nodded and accepted the bowl from Ezekiel and took a bite, and noticed that something was different about it. She was just to tired to care. Once she ate it she got tired and Samuel asked Hake, "So when are we heading off?"

Hake said, "Well since we're all done and cleaned up, as soon as we pack everything up we'll head out. Kari you can take your spot in the cart."

Kari nodded and when she took her spot she soon felt the others join her and she was soon asleep. But she was once up again screaming and concerned people surrounding her and looking concerned. Tears spilled from her eyes and she hugged Haru and he pat her back and said, "It's okay Kari. That's all in the past. Nothing's wrong now. Shh, ah that's a good girl." Kari started to calm down and started to hiccup. She thought that she would never get over what went on in her home village.

Cristo came up and asked, "She is free to come to my cart, it may not be as warm but it isn't so confining and is more open."

Haru nodded and asked, "Kari? Do you want to go to Cristo's cart?" Kari looked up and nodded before clinging onto Cristo as he led her to his open cart. Another thing she thought she would never get over is not being able to sleep in and enclosed space. Once there, Cristo gave her a heavy blanket and she was placed on a cot next to his and said, "If you need anything I'll be right there on the drivers seat." and she nodded and he left.

She fell asleep and was glad when she woke up in the morning and had no nightmares of the past to tell about. She stretched and went up and sat next to Cristo with a smile and said, "Thank you Cristo-san?"

He smiled and said, "You don't have to thank me, Kari-chan. I would do anything to help you."

Kari smiled and said, "So how much longer till our next show?"

Cristo said, "We're going to be there in about five minutes or so." he then tossed her an apple and said, "Eat up."

She nodded and then started munching on the apple she was given. Once she finished they had stopped and were in the entertainment center of the town. Kari smiled and helped everyone set everything up, and once it was, the dancers used there skills to lure people into watching their show. Kari, on the other hand, served the people they lured in and brought them drinks while they waited for the show to begin.

Haru kept an eye on the customers to make sure none left without paying and to make sure that no one was there harassing the gypsies. Once enough people were lured into their area Kari quickly went to change into her outfit to help Cristo out with his animals.

The dancers were up first and Nave, with purple eyes, and Sandra, with milky silver eyes, moved around, their long brunette hair flowing with each step, Melina, with obsidian eyes, and Amice, with her bright amber eyes, jumped around and their curly blonde and raven hair bounced along with them. Each of their eyes the shade of their clothing.

After they were all done their belly dancing, Ezekiel with his dirty blonde hair, and Samuel, with his shaggy white hair, each with their crimson outfits and orange eyes showing their talents, did their performance of juggling, eating, and breathing fire. No matter how many times that Kari saw this, she couldn't believe they could do all of that without a single use of chakra. After they left Cristo and Kari came on stage and bowed.

Cristo smiled and moved a hand through his short blonde hair and the twinkle in his sea green eyes meant he was ready. Kari got out the first animal and she jumped on the graceful creatures back and did a hand stand while a tropical bird landed on her foot. Cristo ordered the lion around the stage and let it do tricks while Kari and the bird move and jumped and fly around so they wouldn't fall and still make it entertaining. Cristo then took Kari's place on the lions back while she called the birds to fly around the audience and collect whatever money they had thrown during the performances now and previous.

After a few more dazzling stunts with animals of all kinds, Marie, with a blue robe with silver crescent moons spanning the whole fabric that matched her hair and eyes began to tell a tale of a great warrior and his quest to slay an evil wizard that plagued the lands. Each word she spoke seemed to be live as she infused a genjustu with her words to let every member see it in the world around them, every word feeling like a reality.

After she was done Kari and the smaller animals collected any money that was given and Hake then went on stage and said, "Thank you all for coming. Now if you wish, you may visit our fortune teller as you leave free of charge." since they made more than enough that night they could afford to let them do it, "but remember, not all fortunes are good ones and you may only get one!"

Nadia then came out in her simple green dress and shawl and bowed. She was a short, elderly woman with white hair, but her golden eyes which could really tell the future, were as bright as moon. Many of the customers went to see her, but only a few non-believers left right after the show.

Namé with brown hair and eyes, Josephine with green hair and pink eyes, and Rikard with light brown hair and purple eyes, and Kari cleaned up the area and once everything was cleaned and the rest of the customers were gone, the all sat down and had dinner.

And once dinner was done Haru pulled Kari off to train with her some more. Kari was surprised though when Haru said, "We're going to be training with your kekkei genkai tonight." her eyes widened and he continued, "I saw you practicing it last night and I want to supervise you so you don't do something dangerous."

Kari smiled and said, "Alright. And sorry for keeping it from you."

Haru smiled and shook his head, "It's better to ask forgiveness for not asking and doing it, than it is to ask forgiveness after asking and still doing it. Now let's set up a barrier and we'll see what you got."

Kari nodded and said, "Well I'm going to try something different today instead of singing my summons." Haru raised an eyebrow and then she continued, "I'm going to try and summon it by thinking the song after I try making the song by means other than my voice."

Haru nodded and said, "Let's see what you got."

Kari nodded and then started to tap the ground with her foot patting her body, and even blinking and each time she tried she summoned a creature and only coughed up a hand full for all of them together. Haru was proud of her and then said, "Now how long have you been training on this?"

Kari looked at the ground guiltily and said, "Since I decided not to give up training."

Haru smiled and said, "No wonder you're so good at it. Every day for the past two years?" Kari nodded and Haru pat her on the head saying, "Now try thinking the song, and if I see a summon or no summon, but I see blood come from your body, we're stopping for the day."

Kari nodded and then thought of the song her mother sang to her constantly when she was a child. Kari felt tears come down her cheeks and then a flying fox bat as large as the tall trees surrounding them said, "So summoner-sama finally summons me again." The bat smiled and licked the blood tears off of Kari's cheeks and the young girl giggled. The bat then looked at Haru and said, "And this is her guardian? I am grateful for your help for this you master. It is sad what happened and I am angry but if you were the reason for my anger you would be dead right now." the bat then bowed to both the shinobi and said, "My name is Koumori but I have to go, my pups need me. Please excuse me for not staying lost Summoner-sama."

And she was gone in a puff of smoke and Haru picked Kari up and carried her back to camp, saying, "When we get back you're going to eat your food and then we'll be sure to go right back out to train on more jutsu, alright?" Kari nodded and Haru placed her next to Josephine and the woman passed Kari her food that was infused with blood regenerative vitamins.

A mysterious bi-colored man, in a large Venus flytrap, half way merged with a tree, smirked and said, "It seems we found her. **Madara-sama should be pleased.** So what do we do? **We return and report, and maybe we can get a bite to eat on the way.** That sounds good." the man ten merged back with the tree leaving as he appeared, completely unnoticed.

_**A/N:**_** Well it has been a while since I worked on Kari's tale but it is completely different from the original. I hope you all like it and no flames…. I only want constructive criticism if you didn't like it or nothing at all. Though, if you did like it please tell me and I'll be glad I decided to redo this to make it better. Remember to review and I'm glad you took the time to read it.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: **_**Okay I know that I have to make my character not a Mary-Sue, but I'm used to writing adult characters, so if you see something that a little kid wouldn't do please help me out so I can fix it before it's too late. Thanks to PersiaZS0 for reminding me Kari is still a child. Sometimes I get ahead of myself and make her seem older. And thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts; it's very much appreciated! Also I would like to mention that the time and one summoning that is going to mentioned isn't exactly correct as to the plot line… but for Kari's admittance to work out I had to make it so. Hope you understand and please don't be too mad. **

"_I have had dreams and I have had nightmares, but I have conquered my nightmares because of my dreams" - Jonas Salk_

~oOo~

When Kari woke the next morning she felt like someone was watching her so she shot up, grabbed a kunai and held it defensively as she looked around. Though all she could see was Cristo and Haru. She shivered as she laid back down on her sleeping bag and put her hand to her head. It has been every night for the past month that she felt like someone was watching her. She couldn't strand it any more; between practice, blood loss, shows and traveling Kari could use all the sleep she could get… and the paranoia was making it impossible; she was scared.

Kari closed her eyes and placed her pointer and middle finger on each of them really wishing that she could just get a decent night's sleep; not even on ninth birthday could she seem to get what she wished for. She stood up and decided that she might as well get started on her chores since, from what she could tell from the stars, it would be sunrise soon. She really didn't want to do this.

The feeling of being watched wasn't there any more but a feeling of excitement over took her, she was turning nine in a couple of hours. She smiled and buried her head into the eldest lions mane and let out a small yell of excitement. The lion made a grunt and turned is head over and licked her face with its sandpaper tongue making Kari giggle. She continued to work on the other animals when she heard foot steps coming but she couldn't tell who it was.

She peeked past the lion, the one which she buried her face in, and when she saw a man with long spiked raven hair in a mask that only had one hole in the right side of the mask, and the orange of the mask had a couple black, curvy, horizontal lines that stopped somewhere before or at the edge of the hole on it's left side. She stepped forward a bit from the lion, still holding his fur and said, "Um…" she was getting nervous… something about him was off, "I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to leave. Our show isn't till later tonight, and if you want a ticket I'll have to ask you to come back when Hake-san wakes up."

The man stopped and looked at her and said in a baritone, "Oh I'm sorry, I was actually looking for someone in your group. His name is Samoa Haru. Would you mind getting him for me?"

Kari looked up at the man through the lion's mane and then nodded. She hopped on the feline's back and rode him back to her sleeping quarters, and as she passed the man Kari said, "You can follow me" and he nodded.

The young girl made sure she was as silent as she could be when she passed everyone's sleeping spots because the sleep deprived 9-year old didn't want them to loose any sleep. Once Kari saw the sleeping figures of Haru and Cristo she hopped off the lion and walked two steps over to Haru while the lion went over to Cristo.

She nudged Haru's shoulder and when he opened his eyes he asked, "What is it Kari?"

Kari looked a bit ashamed and said, "Um… there's some one here to see you Haru-san."

Cristo seemed to get a lick from the lion because he shot up and wondered how he got out. She hopped over the two men and onto the lion's back and bowed her head slightly saying, "Sayonara sir." and she went back to finish her chores with Cristo following.

Cristo was walking directly next to her asked, "Who was he?"

Kari shrugged her shoulders and shivered, "He came by this morning to the animal pen and he asked to see Haru when I told him we weren't open." Kari stopped the lion and asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

Cristo smiled and chuckled at the girl, "No, Haru can take care of himself, and it was a good thing Eon was with you just incase it wasn't a good idea. Something about that man makes my animals nervous, I can feel it with my own instincts."

Kari nodded and pat Eon's neck and he started to walk and she said as she hugged him, "Thanks for the protection Eon." and he grunted. Once they got back to the animal pens she placed Eon back in his spot and Kari said, "I cleaned all the animals, the only ones left are the reptiles."

Cristo nodded and said, "You've done more than enough today Kari. I mean it is your birthday and you shouldn't be doing any work."

Kari smiled and hugged him saying, "Thank you Cristo!"

He laughed and then shooed her off saying, "Go find Hake and say that I sent you."

Kari nodded and then skipped over to the carriage where Hake resided in. When she knocked on the door he opened it as if he was expecting her and smiled saying, "Morning Kari."

She smiled and said, "Cristo told me to come see you?"

Hake nodded and said, "Come in." and when Kari walked in she saw all of the their merry tribe sitting around a large table with a cake on it and the only two who weren't there were Haru and Cristo, but the latter walked in from behind her and then they all said, "Happy Birthday Kari!"

Kari smiled and jumped on every person to give them a hug saying thank you and that she can't believe this and she didn't need a party and things like that. When they finally got her to sit down they placed a huge cake in front of her and she blew out the candles after they sang the happy birthday song. She wondered where Haru could be but could only think that he was still with that stranger, and if the stranger was an old friend she didn't want to interrupt an reuniting moment. Plus she really wanted cake.

Though once everyone was distributed a peace of cake Kari kept glancing at the door. She didn't quite notice it while eating her own cake, but everyone else did. Though once she was done her piece of cake, she was getting nervous and started to feel guilty for not including him in this joyous celebration. Haru was the person who made it so she was able to have this new life. Kari pursed her lips and then grabbed Haru's piece that was left out and said to Hake, "I'm going to give this to Haru-san. I'd hate to leave him out all of this fun."

Hake smiled and said, "It's fine. We can't get started on your gifts until he gets here anyway, and his guest is allowed too if he wants to come."

Kari smiled and nodded asking, "Then should I bring a piece for Haru-san's guest?" she didn't want to ask, but her… mother… she always told her to be polite to others.

Hake smiled and said, "That would probably be for the best." and he handed her a piece that was untouched and helped Kari with the door and she quickly and carefully walked over to their resting area.

When she saw the stranger and Haru she called, "Haru-san!" and ran up to him.

For a split second she thought she saw a look of anger or fear on his face but when she saw his smile she thought it was just her imagination and Haru pat her head and asked, "Kari what are you doing here?"

Kari smiled and said, "I felt bad for having fun at my party without you. So here," she held up the plate of cake to Haru and when he took it, she turned to the stranger and held out his plate, "I didn't want to be impolite and only give Haru-san some cake so I brought you some too."

The stranger let out a chuckle and said, "Why thank you Kari-chan." and she smiled when he accepted the plate.

Kari then turned to Haru and said, "Was I interrupting anything?" Haru shook his head and then she smiled wider and grabbed his arm saying, "Then come on! Please! Have some fun!"

Haru laughed and said, "Alright, Alright."

Kari then turned to the man and said, "Oh and Hake-san said you are free to come too if you want."

Kari definitely felt Haru tense up when the stranger laughed, but Haru relaxed after the stranger said, "Thank you for the offer, but I have some other business that I need to attend to. I'll see you again soon though Kari-chan." He waved and then made a hand sign and was gone.

Kari looked confused at Haru and asked, "An old friend?"

Haru smiled sadly and said, "No, he's an old business associate."

Kari nodded and realized that Haru didn't want to talk about it so she smiled and started to pull him again towards Hake's carriage saying, "Now let's have some fun and that's an order from the birthday girl."

Haru laughed and said, "Alright, I'm coming, I'm coming."

Kari laughed and when Kari returned to her party Ezekiel said, "The triumph heroine returns with her fair gent in distress." Everyone laughed and Kari placed Haru next to her.

She then hugged him and whispered, "Without you I wouldn't be here, so thank you." she then let go and joked, "So incase you forgot my gift you're covered," that got more laughs from everyone who heard her fail at whispering, and Kari then said, "Well now that everyone had their cake let's get on with the fun!"

Hake laughed as all the others smiled and said, "Calm down little one. Before you can have your fun you're going to have to open your presents."

Kari smiled and even though she really wanted to open them she said, "You guys didn't have to get me anything."

Samuel elbowed Cristo and said, "See I told you that she would say that, now everyone pay up."

All of the men except for Hake and Haru gave Samuel his money and Kari laughed as did the rest of the women. Amice then stood up and said, "You learn well our little girl. Now without further ado." she clapped her hands and Rikard pulled a woven cord and a curtain was pulled back revealing a present from each of the gypsies.

Kari smiled, jumped for joy, and said, "This is just too much you guys but thank you!"

Namé smirked and said, "Don't thank us yet kid, and don't be afraid to tell how you're really thinking because unlike my gift someone cough Marie cough," she gave said woman a teasing smirk when the Marie gave her a dirty look, "decided to get something cheap."

Kari smiled and started to open her gifts. From Ezekiel she got a book on stories from his and Samuel's home country, and Samuel's gift to her were several dolls from each of the stories. From the dancers she got clothing from all over the world and all of them were in a larger size because as they said, "It's for when you're older."

Kari didn't see the point to it then, causing her to pout, but she knew that couldn't wait to try them on in secret later. From Marie she got a small charm that held all the stories that the woman knew and with a bit of chakra Kari could reach in and see anyone of the stories as if Marie was there to spin the tale herself. From Nadia she gained a small dagger with a jeweled hilt that held all of the colors of all the gypsies had on their natural bodies.

Cristo gave her, her own whistle that could be used on any animal to try and train them. Namé, Josephine, and Rikard came together to paint her a small portrait picture of all of their group standing together with their auras showing, because Kari was always asking what the three workers saw. Hake got her a light hilt for Nadia's dagger and it was inscribed with all of their groups signatures and with intricate designs that Hake made himself.

Haru was the last one and he gave her a choker necklace with a spherical jewel that was the color of her eyes and about an inch wide. And on the inside of the jewel were small figures of the zodiac. Kari loved all the gifts and hugged everyone. This was truly a happy life. Kari knew that she would never completely get over her past village anytime soon but this was a pretty great start.

But he presents weren't done yet. Before Kari went to bed that night, the dancers had Marie help them with the second part of their gift. And with a help of genjustu, Kari could belly dance perfectly within two hours, and she also got a new rule from Haru saying she wasn't allowed to do that until she was older. Kari promised and Haru then took a scroll out and gave it to her to seal all her gifts in.

Kari did it smoothly and the only ones she kept out was the dagger which she placed in her weapons pouch, the charm from Marie which she attached to her choker and Cristo's whistle which went right next to the scroll which kept the picture, book, dolls, and her clothes.

Kari then headed back to her sleeping bag and fell asleep almost immediately that genjustu may have lasted two hours but she felt like she was mentally up for two weeks.

~oOo~

It was another week of traveling before they were at the next town. That night, after they were selling tickets for the show, Kari was putting on her choker when Hake knocked and said, "Nave, Sandra, Melina, and Amice wanted to know if you would sing tonight while they dance."

Kari smiled and said, "I don't see a problem with that. Will this outfit work with them?"

Hake smiled and said, "Our little Kari is growing up. Yes your outfit should be fine. Actually that was their outfit when they first started."

"Really?" Kari asked and Hake nodded, "Alright I'll be right out. Same order as usual?" Hake nodded and then left followed by Kari.

When they got to the stage the dancers looked excited and chatted quietly with Kari and themselves while Hake told about their show and warmed up the crowd like usual. As Kari looked out at the crowd she noticed that the masked stranger from her birthday was there and he waved when he spotted her. Kari blushed at being caught and waved back before shyly sneaking back to her place.

Then the curtains began to open and Kari took a deep breath. Namé, Josephine, and Rikard started playing their instruments and Kari began to sing the song that went along with it. Nave and Amice took the first steps out and Nave followed who was followed by Sandra. They all then lined up as the music slowed and then as all was quiet Kari and the instrumental began again and the dancers began to speedily dance about the stage and themselves.

Kari felt herself smile into her song as she saw her family dance around the stage and wished she could do more to make this entertaining. Hake them came up behind while being hidden by the darkness of the stage, and whispered, "Can you summon some beasts to dance around with them without coughing up blood?"

When her song came to an end and the instruments had each a solo she whispered, "I can make it so I can cry blood. If you can get Marie to put a genjustu around me, to hide the blood, I see no problem, but I warn you I bleed about a handful or two."

Hake nodded and said, "I'll make sure it happens."

Kari nodded and then took a deep breath as her part began again. But this time she thought the correct songs and summoned graceful beasts to which each woman reminded her of. There was awe from the audience and Kari could feel the blood begin to drip down her face. At this rate she might bleed two handfuls or more. But Hake was there with a small device that he placed under chin that would collect the blood so it didn't fall on the outfit.

When their performance was done Marie kept the genjustu up around the girl until she was backstage and away from public sight. Hake took Kari's blood and said, "I'll be sure to dispose of this properly. You did a great job by the way."

As Hake left, Haru came over and cleaned her face off of blood. He then smiled and said, "You did very well. Now I have something to tell you."

"Hm?" Kari asked as she fixed her choker.

"You've done excellent on your lessons. In fact I can't teach you much else besides one last lesson which I'll teach you after the show alright?" Haru said and Kari hugged him.

"That's great news! I can't wait! And thank you Haru!" Kari then saw that the fire brothers were almost done and said, "Oh it's almost time for me to go up. See you later!"

And Kari was then standing next to Cristo and went on stage as Ezekiel and Samuel the animal performers went on and started with their show. As they were dancing around stage, Kari felt the normal stares as usual, but she also felt something different… it was like the feeling that she felt the past month before her birthday. The past week she hadn't felt it but it was back again, and if not for her kunoichi reflexes keeping steady on the tiger she was hand standing on, she would've fell and twisted something.

Once their skit was done, as well as Marie's, Kari went out into the crowd to collect money, as per usual with Josephine, Namé, and Rikard. Kari didn't know why but she was glad to not have the masked stranger as one of her collecting jobs.

Once all her money was collect Hake gave and Haru and Kari permission to leave early. When they got to the empty field where they could train, Haru looked at Kari and held her close while he shook. Kari was worried and hugged him back and asked, "What's wrong Haru-san?"

She then felt as her shoulder became wet and she was shocked to see him crying, "Haru-san you're scaring me."

"I'm sorry Kari, it's just that… that… you may have to leave tomorrow." Haru said and buried his face deeper in her shoulder. And Kari's eyes widened when she realized he said just her name, without any suffix.

"What do you mean?" Kari started to feel tears building in her eyes, she didn't want to leave.

Haru looked at her and said after wiping away some tears, "That masked man who came on your birthday last week, do you remember him?"

Kari nodded and said, "He was in the audience tonight." tears started to fall onto her cheeks

Haru looked a bit scared and said, "Well… he is going to take you someplace else where you can learn more and become stronger."

Kari shook her head and a few more tears came from her eyes, "I don't want to do this Haru! I don't want to leave you guys! Did he make you do this? And why do you have to listen to _him _anyway?" She was fisting her hands in anger.

Haru smiled at her sadly and said, "He didn't make me do this Kari. He pointed out what might happen if you stay with me. What if rumors got out like they did at your village? We couldn't hold off anyone for too long, and you would have to go through that pain again, and probably even more when you're kidnapped. As to why I have to listen to him is that I don't. He is powerful and had some very solid points that I wish weren't true but they are. He was my employer before and I haven't changed much since the last time I worked for him."

Haru hugged Kari close again as she let the tears flow freely, "I know I won't be able to protect you and he could give you a much better life than I could Kari. Plus he needs your powers for a very special and noble cause to bring about peace to the world." Haru gave Kari a million dollar smile and asked, "Wouldn't you like that?"

Kari nodded and started to understand why Haru acted the way he did when the masked man first arrived as she wiped her eyes away. Kari hugged the loving man and said, "I still don't want to, but if you think it'll keep us all safe then I'll go." She then let go and tried her best to smile, "And plus I get to make the world a place where I don't have to worry about hurting you guys right?"

Haru nodded and said, "When he first brought it up to me I thought he was just being selfish, but the more I thought about it the more it made sense." he chuckled sadly and said, "It's sad that a thirty year old man doesn't have as much sense as a nine year old girl." He patted her head and said, "Well I'll teach you what he want you to know, but only the name of the summon and the order of the hand signs, but without your eyes it would take too much chakra for one person to have and summon."

Kari nodded and said, "Then I'm ready."

Haru smiled and then slowly went over the hand signs and the name of the summon and by the end of her lesson, she knew its song and she knew that this masked person meant business… and was taking a big risk. Another thing that struck her odd was hw did Haru know such a powerful jutsu if her couldn't use it… that masked man was getting to become more and more suspicious.

~oOo~

That night the gypsies slept around Kari and talked with each other till they grew tired and fell asleep. Kari was glad that they were so understanding and wished that things could've stayed like that forever. But like all things, it had to have an end.

When the sun came up she said good bye to all of the animals, and after she finished her chores and packed the rest of her things in the same scroll as her gifts, the tribe woke up to a clean camp. They acted like nothing was wrong and went on as normal until the masked man appeared on the horizon after their breakfast. Kari hugged each of her tribe and left them each with little gifts she saved her money up to buy, crying the whole time.

After all the good byes were gone Haru led Kari up the hill and to the masked man. When she stood in front of him she had to strain her neck a bit to look at his eye hole. The man then turned to Haru and said, "You made a wise choice. Now say good bye to Kari-chan here."

Haru nodded and hugged the young girl and said, "Stay safe Kari." He then looked her in the eye and joked, "I guess I have to say good bye to my little sister."

Kari smiled and let tears fall, "See you onii-san, and tell the others not to feel sad."

Haru nodded and hugged the girl once more, crying, before leaving her with the powerful masked shinobi. The girl looked up at the man when Haru had rejoined the group and asked, "What shall I call you?"

He said, "My real name is Uchiha Madara, but you may call me Madara-sama."

Kari's eyes widened and said, "_The _Uchiha Madara!"

The man nodded and started to walk away and said, "Yes I am."

Kari followed after the ancient man and was so shocked she couldn't speak; even to shocked to cry. She took the jewel on her choker and played with it in between her forefinger and thumb. To think that she met the actual Madara was amazing; she was told he was dead. Kari shook her head and then ran up so she was next to him and asked, "So where exactly are you taking me?"

Madara looked ahead and said, "We're going to find a group in the rain village called the Akatsuki. Their purpose is similar to mine but they have recently took down their leadership and now are admired for saving their country and reviving it." The mask then turned to look at Kari and he continued, "And their leader has a power that would also be beneficial to our cause as well as the means to gain more people to accomplish this goal."

Kari nodded and asked the question that has been bugging her, "After I summon King of Hell, what other plans do you have for me?"

Madara stopped and Kari tensed up a bit when he bent down, looked up at her face, and placed a hand on her arm saying, "I plan to have you trained so you may help in my goal."

Kari smiled and let out a sigh of relief, for a second she thought that he was going to tell her something horrible about her future, like he was going to have her killed. "That sounds like a plan."

Madara nodded and then said, "Well I have one more thing to ask of you."

"Hm?" Kari asked as the Uchiha stood up.

"Besides these two people I'm going to meet and one other person who is going to take you to them, I want you to keep my identity a secret understand? If it got out that I was alive, many people would try to stop me because of what I did in the past." Madara said.

Kari nodded and saluted saying, "Yes Madara-sama! You have my word!" trying to stay on his good side… she didn't want to be cause of the powerful shinobi's rage.

He let out a small chuckle and then said, "Good girl. Now since you know my name and identity I may as well show you my face." he then took his mask off and he was handsome, Kari had to admit. His raven tresses accented his pale spotless skin very well and even though he had slight bags under his crimson kekkei genkai marked eyes it didn't take away from his appearance. It actually gave him character; and to think that she envisioned an elderly face to the immortal man.

When Kari realized that she was staring she blushed and bowed down saying, "Sorry Madara-sama! I didn't mean to be rude!"

"It's alright Kari-chan, we're even now for when I stared at you at your performance last night." Madara said as he adjusted his mask back on and that only caused Kari to blush more.

Though she soon stopped when she heard something come from the ground and when she looked she saw a Venus flytrap thing come up from the ground and her jaw nearly dropped open from surprise when it opened to reveal a shirtless bi-colored man with golden eyes and pointed teeth and green hair.

Then he spoke saying, "We're ready Madara-sama.** Is that the girl? She doesn't look like much.** Don't be rude, without her Madara-sama's plan might not work. **Fine. Come here girl so we can leave. I'm hungry.**"

Madara stated, "Go on Kari-chan, step inside and hang onto Zetsu."

Kari cautiously stepped up to plant man and stepped into the flytrap and the man pulled her in and pulled her to his chest before quickly closing the fly trap and the nice voice said, "You may feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but after a while of traveling like this you get used to it."

Before she could even ask what he meant she was clinging into the man's bare chest and burying her head into his neck as she tried to not throw up from the pain she felt. How could she ever get used to this? She was relieved though when it stopped and she was able to step out onto solid ground again. It took all her strength not to fall over and throw up, but she managed to compose herself when she noticed that Madara was watching her.

Madara turned to Zetsu and said, "You know what to do." Zetsu nodded and then went back into the ground. Madara then turned to Kari and said, "They're expecting us, but just incase they didn't get my notice that I'm coming," he held out his hand, "Do _not _let go."

Kari nodded and took hold of the man's large hand as they walked across the water and towards the large city that had rain pouring down on it, which stopped soon after they stepped onto one of the streets. Madara looked up at the sky and said, "I guess they didn't get my notice."

_**A/N:**_** Sorry for the cliff hanger but this was getting a little too long and I wanted to torture you all a bit so you guys review! Remember I appreciate constructive criticism and let flames burn themselves to ash, so don't even flame me… but please tell me gently if my characters are OOC. I would like to know so I can fix it before it's too late and my story ends up like the first version. Thanks for reading and hope to have the next chapter up soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **_**Well once again I give you a chapter that may have some slight OOC tendencies and some un child like behavior. I did what I did for a reason and I'm not going to change it unless it is completely OOC. Also thanks for all the reviews and I hope to keep these chapters coming out once every week. Can't guarantee this, due to finals coming up, but I can try. Also thanks for all the reviews, story alerts, favorites and such.**

"_Once they take you and you taste the food… you cannot come back. You are changed… and live forever."_

_-W.Y. Evans-Wentz_

Kari tried to move out of the way of the kunai that flew at them but, she remembered that Madara said not to let go and squeezed his hand harder and closed her eyes. She then felt herself being picked up and then with a strangeness in the air she heard… nothing. She peeked her eyes open and saw that she was in a blank world with white square floors and she was alone.

Just where was she? She stood up and tried to see a sign of Madara or Zetsu… some one. She then felt the strangeness again and Madara was standing next to her and she felt relief. For a second she was beginning to believe that she was killed by the kunai.

Madara then extended his hand and said, "Sorry to leave you and not explain, but it would've been easier to deal with them when you were safe and out of the way."

Kari forced a smile and felt a little stab of uselessness at not being able to do anything as she took his hand and was in a building and the sound of rain began to fall outside. She looked up at Madara and asked, "Just how long was I there?"

"About five minutes," Madara stated and he let Kari's hand out of his when she started to pull it back.

Kari turned towards the door when she heard footsteps drawing up to it and when it opened a man with spiked orange hair and ringed purple gray eyes and a whole lot of piercings, and a woman with amber eyes and blue hair up in a bun adorned with a white rose and a single piercing on her bottom lip; both of them dressed in long black cloaks with high collars and red clouds ornamented the cloth. Kari thought that the woman was quite beautiful as the man was handsome and they both looked powerful and as if they been through a lot.

The man looked over Kari and asked, "So this is the girl who will summon the means we need?"

Madara nodded and Kari started to feel a bit sheepish as the strangers eyed her up, looking at her chakra levels. Neither seemed impressed and Kari started to hum a song to try and distracted herself from their probing glances. She didn't even realize when she summoned Koumori until she heard flapping wings and she turned around seeing the large bat flying in the rain.

Kari's eyes widened and she ran to the large bat and said, "Koumori! I'm so sorry!"

The bat laughed and licked the blood that Kari had on her cheeks, but couldn't save her shirt, said, "It's alright Summoner-sama, just come here for a second." Kari stepped out onto a balcony and let the rain soak her quickly. Koumori then lightly touched Kari and then started to shrink and become the size of an average sized flying fox bat, and landed onto Kari's shoulder whispering, "If you feel nervous make sure you add a little melody at the end of my song and I'll be this size."

Kari nodded and then looked back and the staring adults and grew sheepish again. She bowed her head and walked back in and said, "Sorry… I didn't notice I summoned her until I did…"

"She seems to be a skilled summoner," the blue haired woman stated.

"Well she has a kekkei genkai to thank for that." Koumori said and nudged Kari on the head.

"And just how can she loose so much blood then? Her shirt was practically soaked with it." the blue haired woman countered.

"Well her kekkei genkai enables her body to produce blood more quickly than average so she doesn't feel faint, and if that fails she has been taking a special pills that speeds up the blood making process. Though even after she gets those pills she may feel dizzy depending on how much she lost in a summoning." Koumori stated.

Madara the said, "So do we have an understanding?" the two people nodded and then Madara nodded and said, "Then may Kari-chan be shown a room? She is quite thoroughly soaked at this moment."

The woman nodded and said, "Follow me please." And Kari quickly followed after her as she scratched in between Koumori's shoulder blades. After a minute or so Kari was shown a room and then the woman said, "My name is Konan and if you need anything I'll be in the room next to yours."

Kari nodded before Konan shut the door. Kari looked around and saw that she wouldn't be able to sleep in here. It was too enclosed, even it did have things that made it comfortable and even homey. Koumori made a yip and said, "Are you okay Summoner-sama?"

Kari shook her head and noticed that her hands were shaking, "I don't think I'll be able to sleep in here… it's too much like my cell."

Koumori nodded and said, "I never did understand why humans always insisted on have rooms. Sure I can understand having something over their heads to keep the rain and sun off them, but to have to only have a door for an opening. That's why my kind prefer caves, their large, dark, and deep enough to keep us away from the entrance and any rain that may blow in."

Kari smiled at the bat and looked over at a small clock and noticed that it was about lunch time; she didn't even feel hungry at all. Kari then sneezed and the coolness of the room chilled her soaked clothes so she stripped them off and took her scrolls from their oil skin containers and opened it up made a hand sign and clean, dry clothes appeared in a nice row.

Kari slipped on a gray pair of pants and a blue shirt after she slipped on some underwear, though, not chest bindings yet because, in the words of the female gypsies, she was just getting started on walking the road to womanhood.

After that she didn't know what she could do… she didn't know where she could get some food, she didn't know what she was allowed, and she didn't hear any human activity in the rooms next to her. Koumori then nudged the young girl's head and stated, "If you need something to do, why don't you use one of the gifts that your gypsy family gave you?"

Kari smiled and held onto the charm Marie gave her and said, "Why didn't I think of that?" and Kari sat down on the bed and added a bit of her chakra to the charm and was enveloped into a story she hadn't heard of before… and Kari noticed that it was a story about herself. Kari smiled sadly and tears came from her eyes as she watched the story play out from and Marie's words played through her mind. She saw everyone and their performances and heard their voices, and even when she paused the story she could even feel as if she was standing amidst her friends.

She let the story play on and didn't notice time fly by until it ended and the clock stated that it was about nine past noon. Koumori was still there and said, "They all thought you were family."

Kari nodded, wiping some stray tears away and said, "And so did I, but I had to leave to protect them." She curled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them… she had to leave them… right?

Koumori licked her cheek in comfort and said, "Many wouldn't be able to leave even for that reason."

Kari smiled at Koumori's caring and yawned, and without thinking of her fear she said, "You are free to go anytime you want Koumori."

Koumori nodded and said, "I'll stay then Summoner-sama. My pups have recently left for their own life, so I'm only needed if we have a an emergency."

Kari nodded and yawned again as Koumori took off and clung onto a part of the ceiling, and Kari fell back onto the bed and fell asleep, and woke up an hour later screaming into her pillow. When her eyes opened Koumori hopped onto her quivering shoulder and said, "Follow me Summoner-sama, I'll make sure that you can sleep."

Kari nodded and grabbed her things and followed Koumori and when they stopped Kari noticed that they were in the large room that she had first met Konan and the pierced man. Kari moved to the center of the room, and made herself comfortable as she could with the blanket she brought from her room and was soon asleep.

Koumori was glad she could help but thought that she could do more. So with a bit of chakra from Kari, Koumori made herself big enough so that she could easily make a small enclosure within thin her wings to hold Kari while Koumori, herself, got some sleep. The large bat took Kari in her mouth and as gently as possible she carried the girl up to where she could latch onto something and placed the young sleeping girl to her chest, and closed her wings, and once she was certain that Kari was comfortable and safe, the elder bat closed her eyes and went to sleep herself.

~oOo~

Madara and the pierced man were walking to the large room to discuss more aspects of the organization and when they entered they didn't expect to see Koumori. The masked male then noticed a slight chakra signal coming from within the bats wings and recognized it as Kari's. He wondered why the young child was hanging upside down enclosed in a bats wings, but said bat woke up and sent a small snarl towards the two men.

"Let her be humans. She had a rough time in the room you put her in last night and needs her sleep. " Koumori threatened the two just as Kari shifted against the soft fur of the bat's chest.

Madara nodded but didn't like the idea of listening to a bat, or the fact that he now had to find a new meeting room. He was about to tell the latter part to his companion, but Kari woke up and said after a bit of confusion, "Koumori? Can I be put down please?"

Then with a shift of wings and large blast of wind Kari was standing on the ground and looking shocked at seeing the two older men standing in front of her. She quickly bowed and said, "I'm sorry Madara-sama! I didn't think anyone would be using this room."

"Why were you in here in the first place?" Madara asked with crossed arms.

Kari peeked up at him through the hair that had fallen into her face and said, "I… I can't sleep in enclosed spaces and Koumori was just trying to help me to sleep."

"And why can you not sleep in a room?" the pierced man asked.

Kari looked at him and said, "When I was six, my village was invaded, and when we were taken and put into cells, I was the only one, along with my guard, who were completely immune to the virus." Kari straightened herself and said with a little shake to her voice as she remembered that cell, "I could hear everything in my cell I shared with my parents and when my parents took me and tried to escape, they were infected, and died and I killed the guards who killed my family. They assumed that the guards were killed by the virus there was so much blood, so they assumed I was helpless but I was in shock. When I was put into a new cell I could hear everything, and this time I had no one to tell me it was okay and to ignore it, and every time I heard a person become infected I pictured my parents thrashing around and bleeding all over themselves." she was beginning to shake worse now as she relived her experience.

"I heard little kids, elders, men, women, the invaders who spread the virus, the ones who were immune to one transformation, it was horrible, and I couldn't do anything but cover my ears to try and block out their dying sounds." she covered her eyes, to hide the tears falling, and Koumori protected Kari by enveloping the young girl with her wings.

"Summoner-sama, it's over, no one is dying, and everyone is at rest." Koumori tried to calm the summoner child down but it wasn't working.

The pierced man turned to the ancient shinobi and said, "Madara-sama, I think I know what to do. If you'll head down up a floor there'll be a meeting room that I don't normally use."

Madara looked from the girl to the auburn headed man and then nodded and left. Madara knew that all his attempts at trying to help this girl himself wouldn't work. Also add the fact that he thought that any decent kunoichi or shinobi should be able to get over their traumas by themselves, but then again his world and generation was a much more savage time then any he's lived through. The other man then went up to Kari and said, "I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Pein, but since Madara-sama trusts you with his identity I'll trust you with mine."

Kari looked up at the man and she bit her lip, knowing that she seemed really weak right now, "But do you trust me?"

Pein looked at her and said, "I think I can try, and if you give me reason not to I can always deal with you." Koumori growled at him, but the young girl touched the giant bat to clam her down and nodded. Pein nodded in return and continued, "My real name is Nagato and this isn't really what I look like." At Kari's confused glance he elaborated, "Due to my kekkei genkai I am able to use several different bodies, and each one with a power. My real body was weakened in one of the last battles we had for this village's independence and my friend, Yahiko died asking me to use his body as to carry on his memory."

Kari smiled slightly and said, "You must've been very close," though in the back of her mind she found his kekkei genkai a bit creepy. Though she was happy that she was being distracted from her own memories by listening to Pein's.

Pein nodded and said, "Well before I gained the Rinnegan, my kekkei genkai, some Konoha shinobi thought my house was empty and searched for some food and supplies, but when I knocked over a vase, my parents attacked them so I could get away, but before those shinobi knew my parents were civilians they killed my parents. I couldn't do anything and then I blanked out. Next thing I knew was that all in the house were dead except for me."

Kari looked at him and understood what it was like to loose ones parents, but Pein wasn't done he told her about his hardships about being an orphan, when he met Konan and Yahiko, and when he was trained by a man named Jiraiya, and practically his whole history. By the end of it she still felt her fear of enclosed spaces, that wouldn't change for a while, but she also gained respect for the man. He had gone through much more than she ever had and was resilient enough to make it through life.

She felt silly for not being able to sleep in a room, and even though she knew she couldn't do it, she felt like could begin try to get over her fear.

She smiled gently at Pein and said, "Thank you Pein-sama."

Pein nodded and said, "If you wish I'll make sure that this room isn't used incase you need to come in the middle of the night."

Kari's eyes widened and she smiled wider, unconsciously, and said, "If that is too inconvenient then you don't have to but I would appreciate it very much."

Pein nodded and then headed out of the room and said, "It's the least I can do for helping with our goal for peace." He only felt obligated to help this girl out because in some ways his history was like his own. If it wasn't for that he wouldn't have told her so much. He hoped that he wouldn't regret his decision later.

And then he was gone. Kari turned to Koumori and clung onto her chest like one of Koumori's pups would and said, "I feel so boring compared to these adults."

Koumori let out a chuckle and said, "Well you're only nine, you still have time to make something of yourself. Heck I'm sure that you have just as much experience as they did, but you've had it in a different way."

Kari smiled and buried her face in Koumori's soft chest fur and said, "If you keep this up Koumori, I'm sure that I'll start taking on bat features in your mind."

Koumori laughed and said, "Too late Summoner-sama. I'm sure every summon you bring to you will think of you as I do."

Kari smiled and then looked out at the sky and said, "Thank you for staying Koumori."

The mother bat smiled and said, "It's nothing Summoner-sama."

Konan then came in and said, "Madara-sama came to me and asked if I could train you. If you're ready I'd be happy to help."

Kari smiled and nodded saying, "Can we get started now?"

Konan nodded and said, "Follow me." and Kari did and Koumori changed to her smaller size so she could attach herself onto Kari's shoulder.

~oOo~

On Kari's tenth birthday was the first day that she was allowed to be introduced to three members who had been in the organization for the past nine or so months. She didn't know if it was because if the ones she had met were being protective of her, she was just too busy training, or that the new members were on missions. She guessed the first one was unlikely so she guessed it was a combination of the last two.

As she walked down the stairs with Konan she looked up at the older woman and asked, "What are the others like?"

Konan looked at the little summoner and said, "All of them are a bit different, but they follow orders, somewhat polite for people of their status, and mostly stay to themselves." Kari nodded and left it at that, she knew Konan wouldn't leave anything out that was important… but _people of their status_ made Kari a bit nervous.

Koumori popped out of nowhere and landed on Kari's shoulder. After the first month of training Koumori learned how to come back and forth whenever she wanted, without having Kari bleed which was because the summoned was choosing when to come, but only did it when she knew it didn't matter, or was beneficial to Kari. Kari scratched the bats head and asked, "How's things on your end Koumori?"

The bat nodded and said, "Nothing abnormal. So what are we doing today?"

"Well I'm going to meet the new Akatsuki members and Madara-sama thought it would be safe for me to summon the King of Hell." Kari stated and the elder bat nodded, but she was a little wary.

"Are you sure you want to get involved with that Summoner-sama?" Koumori asked, "Many have dabbled with it and it never turns out good."

Kari smiled at her and said, "I'll be fine." Kari thought she could do it because she reached the beginning levels of a Chuunin since she came here and she thought she could do it.

Konan then turned to see the concerned mother bat and said, "If Kari-chan can't do this then I don't think that we have much chance of completing our goal this life time." Konan had grew a little attached to the small girl during their training sessions, and when she heard of Kari's story a few weeks into their training she felt a little protective of her.

Kari smiled at the older female and said, "I hope I don't disappoint then," and they continued down the hallway.

When they entered the meeting room Kari looked around and was relieved to see that no one was there yet. Konan led Kari to where she was going to sit and then took her place next to the younger comrade. Pein soon joined on Konan's other side and after a greeting to them both he turned to Kari and said, "Be careful around them Kari-chan. One enjoys to fight, another angers easily, and the other doesn't like to wait. So be polite and get to the point and they may gain tolerance for you."

Kari nodded and then asked, "So then when should I do the summon."

"**He says as soon as they start to doubt you.** And hello Kari." Zetsu said as he merged out of the ground.

Kari somewhat got used to Zetsu coming out of nowhere from any physical surface, she could even sense him a few times before she saw him, but she never did get used to the fact that he _could _do that. She warily smiled at the man and asked, "Hello Zetsu, not hungry now are you?" the first time she found out he was a cannibal she stayed away from him as much as she could until Madara made them both partners and so she was forced to see him everyday; she still hasn't gotten comfortable with him yet. That day Madara did that, Kari was glad that Madara didn't stay to talk to her about her past causing her nightmares which more or less were getting a bit easier to deal with.

"**No but we could always make room for more, Kari-chan**. Stop that, she was just joking with her partner." Zetsu stated and then turned to Pein and said, "He also said that you're to make sure that Kari not be in any situation that would be dangerous today. **If she is, he'll make sure you take responsibility for the loss of a summoner.**" and Pein responded with a nod.

Kari felt a little spike in confidence and a bit a boost in ego. Madara was actually making it a point that she was important. Though Kari stopped kidding herself, he was only doing it for the goal, but after this time since the gypsies she grow a small bit of respect and admiration for the immortal shinobi, and would do anything to make sure that his dream of peace is accomplished. One thing would stop her from helping him, her dead; peace would mean nothing if she wasn't there to enjoy it. Call her selfish, but that's how she felt.

Kari went over and talked with the plant-man for a bit, trying to force herself to get comfortable around him, until she felt the presence of powerful chakras coming down the hall towards them. She said good bye to her partner and took up her seat again.

She felt a bit self-conscious when she noticed the stares she was gaining and took care to pay attention to Koumori, until a short, stocky man came in and asked, "Who's the brat?"

Kari felt herself frown but didn't get a chance to stick up for herself because Pein said, "She's the summoner I spoke to you all of."

The tallest man with shark like appearances and blue skin smirked and said, "I'd like to see what that little girl can do."

Koumori snarled and since the meeting room was big enough to fit the King of Hell summoning with plenty of room left over, then bat stole some of Kari's chakra and became her full size, which grew about five feet all around since her first appearance, but before the bat could speak Kari, who noticed that the new people started to tense up, put a hand on Koumori and whispered, "Koumori, please don't do anything that could get us in trouble."

Koumori looked down at the one she was here for and with one last glare at the three Akatsuki the bat shrunk and landed back on Kari's shoulder. Pein then turned to Kari and asked, "Could you demonstrate for Kisame-san what he and the others were brought here for."

Kari nodded and without any expression she walked up to the center of room and then started to sing the song of the King of Hell. She didn't want to chance just thinking it because of it's powerful and dangerous nature. She also didn't want to get distracted and mess up by rethinking a part, skipping a part, or just doing something wrong.

Once she finished her song, the ground began to rumble and further ahead of her, a statue began to raise from the ground and it just sounded ominous. Kari grew scared and forced Koumori to fly over to Konan incase something went wrong, and that it did.

The shrine opened it's canine fanged mouth and all it's nine eyes opened, all black, and from the mouth and eyes came a black mist that enveloped the girl and two hands then came up from the ground which Kari was no longer on.

The black mist lifted her up and Kari bit her tongue till it bled due to the pain that the black mist was causing. Then the blood that she would normally cough up with a summon came and about four hands full fell into the mist and flew into the statues mouth. Kari started to feel relief as the mist turned to a blue color and the eyes became white and she was slowly lowered to the ground.

When she was on the ground Koumori flew over to her and before the motherly animal could ask if she was okay Kari said, "Get my pills. That statue took away more blood than I'm used to." she was really dizzy and light headed.

Koumori licked a spot of blood off the corner of her mouth and then flew away. Zetsu then merged from the ground and asked, "Are you okay?** Or can we eat you**?"

Kari smiled weakly and said, "I just need my pills. Now can you leave me be? I have to give myself an appearance."

Zetsu seemed to smirk and then said, "If you need help walking we'll be there. **If you're alive, we might as well make sure you don't become nasty tasting**."

Kari smiled at Zetsu's own way of showing that he was trying to care a bit and joked, "I'll be sure when I die, you'll enjoy how I taste." and the botanic being chuckled as she got up and walked over to Pein, just as Koumori dropped the pills and Kari caught them as they fell into her mouth. She shivered because she always hated the taste of the pills straight up. The pills did give her an immediate effect though and she could feel the blood begin to regenerate in her body and the dizziness and the light headedness began to go away a bit.

She then bowed to Pein and said, "The summon is complete, now we just need the members to be informed on how to use it."

Pein nodded and said, "Do you have the objects to connect the statue to the user?"

Kari winced and said, "I need to-"

But before she could finish Koumori bit the back of her neck and said, "You will wait ill you have blood to loose! I will not have you faint from too much blood!"

"Are we going to get on with this?" the short one asked; he was obviously the impatient one.

Kari looked at the Akatsuki and then without making a sound her kekkei genkai, focused on each person and tears of blood started to fall to the table and from pools of blood came ivory colored rings with symbols on it that would depict on which finger of the two hands, that the statue included, they would stand on. As she explained this the rings disappeared and then reappeared on the fingers of their designated Akatsuki members. She also explained that it would enable them to communicate with each of the ring holders onto the statue and out in the real world, and enable them to seal the nine great demons.

She started to feel faint so Koumori popped another pill into Kari's mouth and then the bat asked Zetsu, "Could you please take her to her room? I don't think those pills will help till later."

Kari never got the chance to hear his answer because she fainted.

_**A/N:**_** Well see what I mean about OOCness? Well I thought that I made it so that Pein and Konan could relate to Kari a bit, but I think I went a bit over board with Pein… but I'll keep it that way. I want some aspects of the first version to be in here. Thanks for reading and hope I didn't disappoint!**

**And please review! More reviews encourage me to write more faster!**


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:**_** Sorry that this is shorter than the others but I wanted to get this out on Sunday, but I am working on another chapter after this because this week I had a snow day and Monday I'm off because of MLK day. So this is the due chapter and the next one is a gift for good fortune! And remember to review and tell me of any OOCness…. Madara is possibly OOC but once again too late to change it!**

"_The red thread connecting the fingers of people is an unbreakable bond of fate between the two."_

_-East Asian belief_

The young summoner didn't know where she was. All she knew was that her throat was hurting and she was staring at the menacing real body of the Demon King summon. It just stared at her and she and she was starting to feel scared at its silence. She heard some muffled… was that yelling? She shook her head and asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

The King of Hell's hands wrapped around her and only a bit of her head was showing and she was being crushed. She let out a scream of pain when she felt something burning into her stomach and screamed even louder. It was like her whole body was on fire and she started to feel blood fall down onto her legs and down her face.

Then she was dropped onto a hard surface and she couldn't move. She whimpered as she felt her blood flow over to the King's mouth from her body. She hurt so badly and just wished this summon would tell her what it wanted and let her be; add that the muffled screaming that she heard was just making her have a head ache.

She the felt herself be gently lifted and she was in front of the nine eyes of the thing that caused her so much pain. She felt her hair begin to blow in a nonexistent wind and the King of Hell said, "_**You have proven yourself worthy of being able to use my power. Now the seal on your stomach will be able for you to tell exactly everything you would want to know about the ring holder of that symbol that is at the top. The only one to be able to take it out and to move the symbols is you and you will have to give up much blood and energy to get it.**_"

Kari nodded and then the muffled yelling grew louder and more clear, but she still only got back bits and pieces of her sight. Her throat felt sore and she felt as if she had no control of her body while she heard someone yell, "Who put her in this room!"

She was then taken to a memory of when her parents were killed but this time the guards were coming after her as others were going to infect her parents. Kari grit her teeth as she stumbled back and cut her hand on a rock that happened to be there. She then realized that this time she could make a difference and the guards appearance changed to one of demons. She took a deep breath and then made some hand signs saying, "Die you monsters."

And a large visible sonic wave, which she learned to do form Koumori, blew at them, but they dodged. She growled and kept screeching to try and kill those guards before they got to her parents and herself. She was crying and then the scene started to get fuzzy and she thought she saw Koumori flying towards her, but that turned to a kunai and she dodged out of the way and made some more hand signs and blew more waves of sound.

Kari didn't even know what was going on but she heard another voice that didn't fit to this memory… who's was it? She looked around when all of the guards had disappeared, along with everything else and she was back in front of the King of Hell. He laughed at her and said, "_**Well it seems that you haven't fully woken up yet. Let me help you with that.**_"

Kari was then forced back into consciousness with such a force that she fell to the ground and clutched her stomach and cried out in pain. She felt exhausted and realized that she was low on chakra and when she felt a wetness on her fingers she knew that she had bled too much as well.

She cried out in pain and felt the soreness of her throat make her cry even more. She then curled in on herself and said as best she could, "K-Kou-Koumori, h-help me. It hurts-s-s."

She heard flapping of wings and then a gentle lapping on her face and the mother bat said, "I'm here Kari. We got you out of that room and away from destroying the building. Just what got into you?"

Kari's eyes widened when Koumori mentioned her destroying a building… well almost destroy it. Did that mean that she was actually attacking some of the Akatsuki when she thought she was attacking guards form her past? Kari forced her eyes open and looked around, though when she tried to speak nothing came out she was starting to see black spots in her vision. She really was in pain. She curled tighter into herself and wondered just where a healer was. She heard foot steps and slowly looked up to see Madara walking towards her.

He carried a serious air about him but she never got to find out why she was there because she passed out once again.

~oOo~

She woke up in the large room she first entered the Akatsuki, and slept in most nights with Koumori. She was groggy and sore all over. She was surprised that she survived all of that. She placed a cool hand to her forehead and when she sat up she winced in pain. She raised her shirt to take a look at her stomach and was surprised that she saw a circle, that was almost as large as her hand, made from ten black symbols that seemed to be the ones that will be on the rings she will bleed out for the Akatsuki.

She felt something shift beneath her and noticed that Koumori had made herself into Kari's bed. Kari smiled as Koumori woke up and when the bat realized that Kari was awake she asked, "Kari are you okay?"

Kari nodded and said, "Still sore but I'm okay."

Koumori smiled and then frowned and said, "What happened?"

Kari's smile disappeared and she looked with a blank stare out towards the balcony. Then with a sideways glance she was about to speak until Someone entered the room and she saw that it was all of the shinobi that knew about Madara as well as the man himself.

Kari nodded to them and looked away a bit worried at how much trouble she caused and how much she was in.

"Kari", Madara stated before he stepped forward, "Why did you find it acceptable to attack your comrades?"

Kari put her head in between her knees that she pulled to her chest and said in a quiet tone, "I didn't know I was attacking them."

Koumori nudged her and said, "Pup, please tell me what happened."

Kari looked up through her hair and then nodded and hopped off Koumori. She went on her knees and bowed her head as Koumori flew on her shoulder. Kari then said, "The King of Hell summon wanted to see if I was worthy."

"Worthy of what Kari-chan?" Konan asked.

Kari then told them all that transpired and when she was done she felt a little better that she wouldn't be in deep trouble, but almost destroying the building was still serious. To Pein, Konan, and Zetsu, Madara said, "Leave us."

Soon the door to the room opened and closed. Madara walked right up to the scared girl. She wondered why Madara would make them go… was she going to be punished with his Sharingan? Kari found out about his kekkei genkai during her training with Konan when she was busy and he had nothing better to do. He hadn't ever mentioned using his Sharingan for punishment, but wasn't almost destroying their base reason enough to initiate harsh punishment?

Madara stopped when he was an inch from the shaking 10 year old. "Look at me Kari." and Kari did. Though what surprised her was that she didn't see was the glowing red Sharingan from his mask's hole. Madara then asked, "I have to tell you that, in exception to Zetsu, Konan and Pein, this organization is made up of criminals at this point."

Kari's eyes widened. How was a organization focused on bringing peace to the world be filled with criminals? Then she bit her lip and wondered just what she did yesterday to the other members, and if they now had a personal vendetta against her. Kari looked at Madara and asked, "What happened yesterday after I fainted the first time?"

Madara was silent for a few moments and when he finally spoke he said, "I'm sure you're wondering how you're going to be punished for this." Kari bit her lip when she realized that the shock of the criminal thing made her temporarily forget, and she nodded. He continued, "After you passed out Zetsu took you to your room, but you started to thrash about and whimper. He was just going to leave you but then you started to bleed so he went to get Konan to heal you with some ijutsu*. When he came back with her you were surrounded by chakra and sit started to attack them."

Kari looked down at the floor and really didn't remember all of that. Madara continued, "After that your chakra started to attacked the building and the other Akatsuki thought we were under attack and ran to your room to deal with a threat. Then you screamed something in an strange language and started attacking them. After that happened Pein yelled for them to move and Koumori scooped you up and you finally stopped when she got you out into he air. She then put you in here and before we could get anything out of you, you passed out again."

Kari's lip was now bleeding from her biting it and asked, "How… how much trouble am I in?"

"Not much." Madara stated and Kari looked up at him in shocked. He then said, "Though I believe your fear of closed spaces made it so that you unleashed your chakra after you were influenced by you summon. So here is your punishment." his Sharingan then began to appear and he said, "I'm going to make you get over your unconscious claustrophobia."

Madara then disappeared and Kari was all alone, back into her cell. She looked around saw only herself and four walls of her cell. She ran up to the bar doors and yelled, "Hello!"

Haru walked up and Kari felt frightened, was all of that a dream? Haru scowled at her and said, "What do you want prisoner?"

"How long have I been in here for?" Kari asked calming down a bit… another horrid day in the cell.

"You haven't been in there since you left to the gypsies," his appearance then melted away to one of the guards that killed her parents and she fell back into her cell. She didn't want to see that guard turn into a demon… especially if all of that was a dream… that would mean she had no powers.

The guard then opened the cell and Kari backed into a corner, dragging the filth that plagued the ground with her. The guard laughed and then spoke some words she couldn't hear to a guard outside her cell. The light from his torch went away as the voices did. She shook her head and wondered just how long she was going to have to stay in here.

She heard the screaming of the other prisoners and she curled into herself more. She could do this… she always dealt with it. She took a deep breath and then blew out again. She could beat this thing… if she wanted to try and get out she had to…

She had no idea but she knew that she was back here for a good day or two… she could tell the passage of time by the volume of the screaming.

Kari let out a grunt and said, "Will the screaming ever stop!" but it seemed to just get louder. Light then came again to the door, but this time it was a crimson light from a Sharingan. She walked up to the door and when she looked out she only saw a light coming down the dark corridor.

She didn't want to find out what the light could bring so she used what she learned from that vivid dream and made some hand signs and blew out at the door. She was immediately ricocheted back against the farthest wall as the door was blown off and flung to the opposite wall.

When Kari woke up from her couple second long black out she smiled with hope as she realized she could escape… but that she could see the door meant that the red light was coming faster. She took that as her queue to run and run she did. She was out of that door and hiding behind walls to try and dodge guards with stealth that she didn't know that she had… was all of that dream real?

When she got out to see daylight she let out tears of relief and was about to step out into the open if it wasn't for her hearing the voice of guards coming closer to her. She quickly pressed herself against a wall, hoping that they would just pass her, but she highly doubted it. When they were within reaching distance they sensed her and quickly turned kunai to her.

Tears came from her eyes and they looking like blood thirty beasts. They laughed and said, "It seems one of the prisoners have escaped."

"Escaped prisoners are to be killed right?" the other said and the first laughed agreement.

Kari pressed herself even closer to the wall she was on if possible, and then just as she was about to be stabbed by the sharp blades of her captives, two kunai came flying from the hallway she escaped from and struck both her adversaries directly in the head.

When she looked back she saw the vermillion light and saw that it was the man from her dream… the one with the mask named Uchiha Madara. She could feel relief flooding her features and she fell to her knees and looked up at her savior.

Madara bent down next to her and said, "Do you know see that you shouldn't be afraid of closed spaces? Do you see that you can always make your own exit?"

Kari nodded and looked at the man with awe. She seemed so foolish now for fearing a room, but the memories were still there. Haru may have saved her from her fate that she always had hope she would escape from, but Madara had saved her from her fear she thought would never escape her. This was supposed to be a punishment? Kari then realized that they were back in Kari's second sleeping quarters and she realized that whole thing was just a genjustu.

Madara then stood up and walked away form her and said, "Tomorrow you have a mission with Zetsu. I expect no failure." and he was gone thinking that he now secured the girl's loyalty to him.

Koumori looked at the girl and said, "Just what happened?"

Kari looked at her bat companion and said, "Madara saved me."

~oOo~

Kari's dreams that night in her room were not filled with memories that haunted her. Instead they were filled to the brim with peace, and when she awoke in the morning she knew that she was more determined then ever to help Madara achieve his goal. If Madara's goal was what he said it was, she would feel the way she did in her dream, and that was appealing, and after last night she knew that she would follow him to the ends of the Earth and back.

Once she slipped out of her pajamas she slipped on standard ninja outfit and gear and when she looked at herself in the mirror she had to laugh at herself; she looked like a short ANBU. She then slipped on a plain black cloak and pulled up the hood after securing her choker and scroll. Just as she left the room and locked it Zetsu morphed from the floor and said, "**Get something to eat. **But don't eat it, we don't want you getting sick when we stop."

Kari nodded and then bowed said, "I'm sorry for attacking you Zetsu-san."

"It's alright Kari-chan. **Your bat should've told us that you have claustrophobia" **Zetsu replied and morphed back with the floor.

Kari smiled a bit then realized that she had to apologize to Konan and the rest of the … Akatsuki… She hoped that none were in the kitchen… she was sure that some of them had a grudge against her now. She quickly walked through the halls and to the kitchen, where she picked up an energy bar and a container of water. She was happy that she got to apologize to Konan and Pein when the older kunoichi and shinobi entered the kitchen. Though she was a bit nervous and cautious when the other came in and she had to apologize to them.

The second tallest member in the Akatsuki, Kakuzu, with his tanned and stitched skin, seemed angry at her, but only for the fact that she destroyed some of the building which he had to put into the budget. Sasori, the shortest one, actually came out of his puppet, but only viewed her apology with cold indifference. Kisame on the other hand seemed to want to test Kari out to see if she would be a good fight with the chakra she displayed.

Later then Kari hoped, Zetsu appeared and said, "**Hurry up Kari-chan**. It's time to go."

Kari said her farewells to Pein and Konan and climbed in with Zetsu and when the trap closed she took in a deep breath and buried her head into his shoulder as she felt the prickling begin in her feet. Then in a flash her whole body fell like it fell asleep, and had to admit that Zetsu was right; she was starting to get used to it.

And sooner than expected Kari was stepping out onto a lightly lit cliff edge. There was a large waterfall with statues of Madara and someone else that she couldn't place… where had she seen him before. When she brought her question up to Zetsu he said, "That's Senju Hashirama. **And this is the valley of the end.**"

Kari nodded and asked, "So what's our mission Zetsu-san?"

"**We're here to look into another member.** If our observations can be correct then he may be thinking of defecting soon."

"And we're here to convince him to join us right?" Kari looked back at her partner with a smile. She may be uncomfortable with criminals, but she had a more defined purpose to Madara's cause and wouldn't care as to how it would be accomplished from.

Zetsu nodded and Kari climbed back in with Zetsu and asked, "So what is this person like?"

"He's a unique character. **He definitely likes his experiments. **So be cautious around him Kari-chan." Zetsu said and Kari nodded before becoming prickly form the merging technique. "While they were morphing towards their destination Zetsu said, "Cloak your chakra Kari-chan. **Shinobi don't take kindly to invasions.**"

Kari did as she was told and when they stopped Kari stepped out of the flytrap and asked, "So when is he going to get here?"

"Right now, and may I ask just who you two are?" a man's voice said from the shadows.

Kari adjusted her cloak so her features were more hidden and Zetsu asked, "Are you Orochimaru?"

"And if I am?" the owner of the voice then stepped into the light to reveal a very pale man with long raven hair and golden snake eyes and purple marking by his eyes… he really looked like he was part snake.

Zetsu looked over to Kari and she took the hint to stay quiet as her partner continued, "**We've heard about your recent adventures and see that you are looking to defect from your village**. We would like to invite you to our organization."

The man looked at them with a critical eye and asked, "And just what is this organization?"

"It is Akatsuki." Zetsu stated.

Orochimaru's eyes widened a small bit and said, "I've heard a bit about you from some underground sources. You're goal is to become the rulers of the world?"

Zetsu nodded and said, "We're to collect the nine great Bijuu **and use their power to do as you say**."

Orochimaru smirked and said, "Interesting. Are there any terms I should know of?"

At that point Kari ignored the conversation and looked around the room. It was filled with vials and containers filled with organisms of different kinds and she started to feel a bit creeped out. Who keeps all of these things? And the smell of the room was tat of blood, gore, and that of disinfectant. She then looked back at the conversations, not wanting to see anything else disturbing and Orochimaru said, "Well expect to see me soon." he chuckled and said, "You're organization seems to be the place for me now."

Zetsu nodded and Kari took his head motion for her to climb in. Though before the trap closed Orochimaru smiled and said, "I will also look forward to talking with your other members."

And when Kari looked at the man she shivered when she realized that the snake-man was staring right at her before the trap closed and they headed back with success back to Amegakure.

*ijutsu means healing art which is healing jutsu.


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N: _Okay I know I said I would have this out by the day after the last chapter but let's just say that I was really busy with a project I forgot about on Monday and the rest of my school week consisted on long review stuff for the finals coming up. This weekend I took a friend break and played video game. On that note I have to say that Tales of Symphonia is always addicting and makes time fly! Any way thanks for all the favorites and reviews and alerts and hope you all read and review this chapter too…. I have no comment on this really except that it is Sunday night after I stayed up till 2 in the morning the previous day and it's now 11:51 P.M.… I really need to learn to type these things earlier!**

"_Advantage on earth is better than in Heaven" _

_-Momotaro, or The Story Of The Sun Of A Peach_

Kari grunted as she fell to the ground and a kunai to her throat. The young girl kept as straight a face as she could as Konan released her grip on the girl and stood up. Kari thought she was getting better, but by the way she kept falling and getting kicked around, she forced herself to think otherwise. Was Konan just going easy on her all this time and just stepping up her game?

Kari stood up with an ache running through her whole body and was about to get ready to defend herself again against the onslaught of the blue haired kunoichi, but Konan gave a small smile to the girl and started to walk towards the exit.

Kari followed her and started to remove the extra gear she had been given to try and help with her agility. It felt so good to be rid of those horrid weights she had to keep on every day during training for the past two weeks since she had to go on that mission to recruit Orochimaru who, thankfully, hasn't decided to defect his village just yet. Not that Kari was complaining, that shinobi gave her the shivers, but she didn't see why he wouldn't leave his village to try and follow such a noble cause such as Madara and Pein's goal.

Kari shook her head and ran to catch up with Konan who had offered earlier that day to take her out to visit Ame. Kari was surprised she hadn't gone sooner but with her training schedule, Kari realized that she really didn't have much time to do anything that didn't revolve around the training room and her own room.

Once Kari and Konan changed into clean, not sweat soaked, clothes Konan turned to the young girl and asked, "First we're going to head to the baths and then we can get some late lunch."

Kari nodded and smiled, and Konan couldn't help but smile at the young girl's almost complete innocence. When they walked out to the street Kari noticed that Konan didn't look like herself and smiled as she grasped onto the older woman's hand and started to swing it back and forth.

Konan was regarded as God's angel in this village because she and Pein and the first Akatsuki rescued them from the man named… what was it? Hanzo the Salamander… well it didn't matter what his name was because he was dead and no longer could hurt them. Though back to the change of Konan's appearance, Kari knew it was because she wanted to see how the people lived in the post-revolutionary period, and didn't want to interrupt anything when they bowed when she passed.

Kari felt so much respect for the three heads of the Akatsuki for what they have done and what they are planning to do… even though it may not be through the most peaceful methods. Before Kari knew it, they had arrived the bath house and Kari was excited. She only remembered ever going to a public bath house thrice in her life. Once when she lived with her parents a few months before the invasion, twice when she was traveling with the gypsies, and thrice as of today.

When they got to the changing rooms, Kari started to undress and when she was done Kari and Konan walked out and stepped into the water. After a sigh of content Kari dunked her head under and quickly ran her fingers through her hair before emerging from the warm waters. Kari giggled and swam around a bit as Konan closed her eyes and relaxed as the liquid calmly encased her. When Kari finally settled down she sat next to Konan and looked around in the mist, only to find that they were alone.

Kari then looked over at Konan and blushed when she noticed that Konan had removed her towel. The young girl looked away and sunk under the water up to her nose and then peeked back at Konan who's eyes were closed. Konan really was beautiful, she even looked prettier than what Kari could remember of her own mother. Kari started to feel panicked when she couldn't remember her mother or her father's face. Kari swam around a bit to try and distract her thoughts from her parents, but they would constantly keep popping back into her head and she kept realizing that she could only remember certain things about them.

Kari finally stopped and started to cry at the realization and jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Kari looked up to see a stoic Konan with concern in her eyes. Kari started to cry more and cling onto Konan saying, "I can't remember what my parents look like Konan-sama! Why can't I remember them!"

Konan hugged the girl and said, "Have you completely forgotten them?"

Kari shook her head, "I can remember some parts of them but I can't remember what they look like completely!"

Konan smiled slightly at the younger girl who didn't see this smile and said, "Kari-chan, I know how you feel. I can't remember my parents either." Kari looked up at the blue haired kunoichi and was about to speak but Konan put a finger to Kari's mouth and shook her head, "You know that I was orphaned when I was a bit younger than when I first met you, but even though I don't remember what they look like I can remember what I enjoyed about them. I can remember the feeling of being hugged by them, I can remember my mother's cooking, I can remember that my father always smell like tobacco, and my mother's hair smelled like strawberries, I can even remember their laughs.

"Even though I can't remember what they look like I can still remember what I experienced when I was with them. As long as you can remember things like that you can't say you don't remember them." Konan said and then let the girl go and grabbed a shampoo bottle, "Now let's get that hair of yours cleaned."

Kari smiled up at Konan before turning around and let Konan attacked her hair with a lavender smelling shampoo.

~oOo~

When they walked back into the base Kari was smiling at the fun day they had, while Konan was smiling only with her eyes at the young girl she helped heal a bit more today. Kari was about to run back to her room to put some of the things they got that day to her room until she felt a familiar presence that made her shiver. Kari hid behind Konan and the older woman asked, "A kunoichi doesn't let her emotions show that she doesn't want to Kari-chan."

Kari looked up at Konan and nodded slowly before taking a deep breath and trying her hardest to hide her feelings she felt. She grabbed Konan's hand and the older woman sighed but let the younger girl have this bit of security; from the chakra signal she felt, their newest member was here and Konan didn't know if she trusted him as of yet enough to let Kari in the same room as him.

When they entered the meeting room Kari squeezed Konan's hand when Orochimaru came into sight. Pein noticed them first and nodded to them and the two kunoichi nodded back. Orochimaru turned around and smirked when he saw the two women before turning back to Pein.

By the time they reached the two men they had finished their discussion and Pein said, "Kari-chan I know you just got back but could you make him his ring now?"

Kari looked at Pein and nodded before looking at Orochimaru and a pain in her stomach traveled to her eyes and blood started to stream down and fell down onto the young girl's hands to form a ring. When the ring was done a burning on her stomach made her feel that the symbol that was on the ring was etching itself into her skin. Kari placed a hand on that spot as she threw the ring into the air and it appeared on Orochimaru's designated finger. Kari wiped the blood away with her finger and bowed to Pein as well as she could while keeping her hand on her stomach, which was now starting to bleed onto her shirt.

Pein noticed this but didn't draw attention to it. He nodded and said, "I'll explain what his ring is and its purpose Kari-chan. You can be dismissed."

Kari bowed again and said, "Thank you Leader-sama." and she started to leave quickly to her room, and only when she reached it did she finally head to her bathroom to check out her new wound. Kari threw her shirt off and when she looked into the mirror she saw that along with the seven symbols that were there from the current members another symbol found its way onto her stomach to show that Orochimaru was now part of the summoning collection.

Kari heard a knock at the door and she said, "Hold on a second please." She quickly put a bandage patch on her wound and put on a new shirt before opening the door to reveal Kakuzu's partner, Gig.

He stared at her and she at him as she took in his appearance. He had short blonde hair, slightly small hazel, and he appeared to be average with everything else. He nodded to her and said, "Did you see the new member?" Kari nodded and Gig continued, "What's he like?"

Kari sighed and pointed to the direction of the meeting room, "If you want tot find out, he should still be in the meeting room."

Gig smiled and headed off that way, and Kari shook her head and laughed when he was out of sight. Gig came to the Akatsuki the day after Zetsu and Kari had tried to recruit Orochimaru, and to say he had a unique personality was an understatement. He had all the aspects of a gay man without actually being gay and he brought a bit of light to the dreary atmosphere of the Akatsuki. He even helped her train one day when Konan had to go on a quick mission. From his appearance she couldn't have guessed that he was an S-rank criminal, or that he had that much power until she fought him. He was really tough and had Kari nearly beaten to a pulp until he broke out of his berserk mode from a bite from Koumori.

Speaking of Koumori, Kari wondered why her bat mother hadn't appeared at all today. Kari shrugged her shoulders and didn't worry about it; Koumori did have a life outside of her relationship with Kari.

Kari slipped back inside her room when she heard another knock on her door. She sighed and said, "Coming," and when she opened the door she jumped a bit when she saw an angry Kakuzu standing there and glaring down at her. Kari shivered when she felt the killing aura around him and asked, "how may I help you Kakuzu-san?"

"Where is Gig?" Kakuzu growled.

Kari backed up a bit and pointed towards the direction Gig went and said, "He went to check out the new member in the meeting room."

Kakuzu nodded and quickly stomped his way over to the direction of the meeting room and Kari closed her door with a deep exhale and sunk against the door and said, "Well that was scary."

"What was scary?" Kari looked up at her bed and smiled, Koumori was back.

"Kakuzu was mad at his partner again." Kari stated as she stood up and Koumori landed on her shoulder.

Koumori laughed and said, "So how did today go?"

Kari brightened even more and said, "It was really cool and really fun! Though," her smiled faded a bit, "That new member that we tried to recruit two weeks ago decided he wanted to come here today and he still as creepy as I remember."

Koumori head-butted her and Kari laughed as she sat on her bed and the bat stated, "Well how about we get something to eat?"

Kari shook her head and said, "Maybe in a little bit. I don't want to be on the lower levels when Kakuzu-san meets Gig-san."

"That would be wise, but do you think that they'll be much longer?" Koumori asked as she flapped her wings a bit.

Kari shook her head and looked at the time, and her stomach growled… was it dinner time already? Kari bit her lip and thought her plan of action through. If she was careful enough she could make it to the kitchen and back without going near the meeting room… but what if Pein was there… would he make Kari give a tour of their base to Orochimaru?

Kari's stomach growled once again and that determined Kari's decision. She fisted her hand and said, "Koumori. We're going to take on the journey to the kitchen."

The bat smirked and said, "I'll make sure to scout on ahead." Kari opened the door and Koumori flew out, leaving her all alone. Kari started to head down the hallway when Koumori flew back and said, "Abort the mission! They're headed this way!"

Kari squeaked and ran inside her room and slammed it shut, locking the door and hid in her bathroom and locked that door too. Kari didn't know why but Gig just knew how to push Kakuzu's buttons in such a way that the tanned man couldn't control himself, and when that happened, which it did almost everyday for the past two weeks, Kari knew to stay in her bathroom once that door and the main door to her bedroom was locked. This was because one day Gig decided he wanted to hide in the other room next to her, that wasn't Konan's and Kakuzu burst down both doors. So Kari thought that if she locked both doors she might be safe from Gig and Kakuzu's fights.

Once she heard the crashing and breaking of stone pass from the her door she sighed in relief and went from the bathroom to her bed. She laid down flat and said, "I'm still hungry, but if they keep this up it won't be safe until tomorrow!"

"Then do you want me to get you something?" Kari jumped an inch into the air when she realized that Madara was sitting on the extra chair in her room.

She bowed slightly to him and said, "Thank you, but I should get it myself Madara-sama."

And her stomach grumbled in it's annoyance on not being fed and Kari blushed as Madara let out a small almost silent chuckle. He then stood up and said, "Well then Ill get us something both to eat. I haven't spoken with you in a while about training and I want some conversation while dining. It get's awfully dreary having to hide away one's identity."

And with that he was gone. Kari was shocked and speechless for a minute or two until she smiled and said to Koumori, "Madara-sama sure is dedicated to his goal. I don't think I could stand being locked away from everyone else."

Koumori shook her head and replied, "he probably does go out but he might use a disguise. Humans, especially men, can't stay locked up alone for a long time. They have needs."

Kari nodded and said, "I know that." but Kari was having thoughts of going out to see the sun and have fun, but Koumori was mentioning the need to socialize to stay sane and the need to repopulate. Koumori shook her head and licked the girl's cheek in a way of saying 'Good girl'.

Soon enough Madara was back and with him was a wide array of food that was enough for the two of them and Koumori if she wanted any. Madara sat down at the table as did Kari after him, and he started to serve them out their portions. Madara was only serving because he didn't want to ruin Kari's training diet with over sized portions. Even with training a ninja can get over weight.

Kari smiled and thanked Madara as he handed her, her plate and clapped her hands together and said, "Itadakimasu!"

Madara smiled slightly at the girl's innocence and that smile went to a line of calculation when he tried to think of when he would get her to kill her first person. Sure she killed already, but her summons did that and Madara wanted to see if she could take killing someone with her own hands. Kari on the other hand was enjoying her food and not even paying attention to her guest as Koumori was.

The elder bat still didn't trust this man with her Kari because if his aura. She nibbled at the food that Kari had set aside for her and looked at the young girl enjoying her food.

Once the majority of her meal was done Madara asked, "So, Kari-chan, how goes your training?"

Kari looked up at him and started to talk about what she did with her training. Eventually after getting to the more recent topics of training Kari said, "Konan seems to be putting more and more weights on my training suit every day and it's getting harder to hit her." Madara nodded and Kari continued, "Though I do think I'm getting a bit faster and I'm able to last longer than before."

"That's good." Madara stated as he took a sip of his tea after he removed his mask.

Kari smiled and looked away form Madara so she wouldn't stare again and said, "Koumori says she may know what my bonding type may be soon too! I can't wait!."

Madara raised a brow and asked, "Bonding type?"

Koumori nodded and said, "Every summoner has an summoning beast that they find easier to summon, and that they have a strong bond with. Since Kari is not of age yet, she has the same level of bond with all of us. Though since both of her parents are no longer with us their bonding animal is given the duty to raise her the right way. It so happens that both her parents bonded animals were bats so she only gets me instead of another animal companion."

Madara nodded but Koumori was not done, "Though usually when two summoner mate and have the same bonding type, their offspring usually have a mythical bonding type, and I have a strong sense that it will be the same with her."

Madara asked, "What is a mythical bonding type?"

Kari answered, "They are like griffins and dragons and phoenix and beasts like that!"

Madara nodded and internally he was a bit intrigued. If Kari could actually have that as a bonding type, it could mean that he picked a much more intriguing person to help him towards his goal. She might not even be a waste to having joined the Akatsuki. Madara then took the last sip of his tea and then stood up and said, "Well it's getting late and I have some business to attend to."

Kari stood up and bowed to him before he was gone and before she could thank him for the meal. She sighed and said, "Well hopefully the Gig-san and Kakuzu-san have stopped their arguing so I can get these dishes clean-" but she cut herself off when she noticed that the dishes were gone and Kari smiled. Madara was just too kind sometimes, even though in reality, unbeknownst to Kari herself, he was just keeping good appearances with the young girl so she would stay at his side in his quest.

Kari yawned and then sunk onto her bed after making sure her main bedroom door was locked. She smiled as she heard Koumori make herself comfortable onto of the ceiling rafters and Kari said, 'Good night," and she was soon off to dreaming peacefully.


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N:_ Well this chapter is longer than the last two and I think has the most happening in one chapter... or maybe I'm wrong but who cares! Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter and hope that I don't disapoint... I always fear OOCness so please review any of it. Thanks again for reading and I hope to hear your thoughts via review... you know that thing at the bottom center? Yeah you should click that. lol. Oh and my dog turned 10 years old on Friday! not that any of you care... yeah...**

_"Rushing the ball is all about ball control. If you run the ball, you control the clock. If you control the clock, you usually control the game."_  
_Tiki Barber_

Madara had made it a habit of eating every dinner with Kari , but once again the young girl was wrong to assume why he was there; he was only there to secure her allegiance with him. Koumori on the other hand also got it wrong. She knew that the man was extremely old so she assumed he didn't care about age anymore and was trying to court the ten year old girl.

The next few months after their first dinner together dealt with Kari training even harder than she ever had before, Kakuzu nearly killing his partner five times, Kari hiding in her room to stay out of their way, and her always trying to dodge meeting Orochimaru even in passing. Kari found that a little depressing because she wanted to talk to Sasori, but the snake-man and the living puppet were usually together or on a mission.

Kakuzu scared her a bit but that just challenged her more to try and over come her feelings of fear. Though Kakuzu storming around the base practically every night with a murderous look on his face never helped much. Kari did start to get on a talking basis with Gig since he became a second teacher, but he was normally in town chasing after girls around Konan's age and Kari lost a bit of respect when she found out he was a player and had multiple girl friends. If the gypsy dancers taught her anything, it was to not set your mind on a dishonest man.

Kisame on the other hand was trying most everything he could to try and get her to spar with him. Kari was frightened of the large man's chakra level and she always felt as if her own chakra was being eaten away due to his sword. Kisame had corrected this after the first week by telling Samehada to stop it, but Kari tried to avoid him. Most of the time she would hide in Konan's room or Pein's office when the shark shinobi was after her to practice with him.

Kari hardly saw Pein but she did see plenty of Konan, who always gave Pein's greetings when he thought of the young summoner. Kari felt a sense of joy every time he sent greetings her way, and Kari was glad that Konan was taking care of the secondary leader of the neo-Akatsuki. Konan had also started to move from just single lessons to combining taijutsu, genjustu, and ninjutsu in battle.

And all that was left was Zetsu who she also saw frequently whenever she was assigned missions. Though Kari started to see more and more violent tasks sent her way and she didn't think she was far away from a mission where she would have to kill someone. Oh how right she was.

Presently Kari was walking down the hallways as fast as she could to try and get to the training room. The young kunoichi had over slept a bit and Koumori realized this and rushed the girl to her morning lessons. She was just on time when she realized who was there and she gulped. Standing next to Konan was Kisame and they stopped their conversation when they noticed Kari step in.

Kari smiled nervously and bowed in front of the two when she got within five feet of them and said, "Good morning Konan-san, Kisame-san."

Kisame smirked and said, "I guess I finally get to see what you're like in battle Kari-chan."

Kari stood erect and smiled nervously at the blue man and said, "I assume it to be so Kisame-san."

Konan nodded and said, "I wanted to see how you would deal with a new opponent to see exactly I need to train you on. Now," Konan took a step back towards the wall and raised her hand, "prepare yourselves." Kari took her opening stance as Kisame grabbed the hilt of his sword and moved a foot forward. Konan threw her hand down and said, "Begin!"

Konan jumped to a protected area they had set up recently as Kisame dashed at Kari, who jumped back just in time to dodge Kisame's hit with the sacrifice of a few of her bangs. When she did a cartwheel to dodge another attack she gasped when she saw another Kisame behind her and ready to attack. She stopped on her hands and pushed off from her handstand and spun in the air while taking out some kunai and throwing them at both of the Kisame look-a-likes; she didn't know if one was a clone or both were, but she hoped that it was the former.

When both dispersed into puddles of water Kari cursed, landed and looked around. She had no idea where the large shinobi was! Kari then felt something bite into her side and she let out a gasp of pain as she landed on her opposite side looking at a cheerful Kisame. Kari placed her hand on her wound and then started to quietly hum a tune as she made hand gestures. If one of her plans didn't work the other surely would.

Kisame was soon on her again and she fell to the ground with a thud, and she continued the song in her head as she jumped back, really wishing that she wasn't interrupted. Kisame was on her again, but this time she was prepared and she blocked the majority of his hits before the song was done and blood streamed from her eyes. In a puff of smoke a large ram appeared and charged at Kisame. The large man looked like he was enjoying this battle too much and he fought off Kari's summon. The summoner took this time to make more the hand signs for her previous jutsu and when she was done, she sent her summon back, took a deep breath, and let out just a small sound which created the sonic wave she hoped would come out.

Kisame was blown back and he hit the wall as the sonic wave hit his ear drums and started to make him bleed from his ears, nose, mouth and eyes. Kari didn't realize how much chakra Kisame's sword had taken from her and so she cut her justu off and took out a kunai, and went into a defense position. Kisame stood up and he looked at her with a smile that made her shiver. Was he really enjoying this fight that much?

Kisame was soon on her once again, but this time he wasn't holding back. Every time he would attack Kari would defend the best she could, but she was growing tired and she knew that he was far from even breaking a sweat. Finally Kisame's Samehada took a little too much chakra and Kari nearly fainted with the help of a punch right to the jaw and she flew across the room, hit a wall, and slumped down to her butt where she lay, barely conscious.

Kisame let out a chuckle and said, "Well that was one of the better fights I've had in ages. Konan-san? Could you ask Leader-sama to see if he could give me mission with a bit more of a challenge to them?"

Konan nodded, Kisame smirked and said, "Good fight Kari-chan! Hope to see how you fare when you're a bit better!" and with that he left.

Kari smiled when she saw Konan walking over to where she was, and when the older kunoichi picked up her younger companion Konan nodded and said, "You did well today, now let's get you to your room and see of we can get you cleaned up."

Kari smiled and closed her eyes, she just felt so tired, and she fell asleep in Konan's arms. Konan noticed this and smiled whole taking the young girl back to her room.

Konan placed the young summoner on her bed a smiled slightly before she went to the task of cleaning up said girl. Once everything was set, Konan picked her up and carried her to the tub filled with warm, almost hot, water. Once Kari was cleaned to Konan's liking, the younger female was fried off, put into some clean clothes, and placed on her bed. Konan didn't know when she exactly felt such motherly affections towards this young girl, but she knew she had because Kari was just a likable girl.

Konan had a sad smile on when she thought of Kari's fate tomorrow and thought she would try and make the best of this day Kari had to spend in this base. Konan shook her head and thought she would let Kari sleep a bit to regain some of her strength, and the blue haired woman knew that Kari would be ravenous when she woke up.

Konan thought it wouldn't take long to the kitchen and back with some food, but she thought she might stop by Pein's office to tell about how far Kari actually progressed. Konan didn't know that she would end up talking to her childhood friend for an hour about Kari and the other members of the organization, and when she saw the time she quickly hurried to the kitchen to make some food.

By the time Kari woke up Konan was back and came with food and a small motherly smile. The young girl smiled back and asked, "How long was I out?"

"Oh about an hour or so." Konan stated and placed the food in front of Kari who started to chow down on it.

Konan let out a small giggle at the girl's voracious appetite, and when the young girl was done Kari asked, "So what are my plans for the rest of today?"

Konan smiled and said, "I'm going to teach you how to be a proper woman and kunzite."

Kari raised an eyebrow, and asked, "How long will that take?"

Konan stated, "It all depends on how much you retain each day, but since we're to do this after training and after lunch, you may still be tired."

Kari shook her head and enjoyed that she was given more of a challenge. Plus she would be able to learn more which Kari always secretly enjoyed. Plus add to the fact that Kari wanted to be more like Konan. Kari shook her head and said, "No that would be great!"

Konan smiled and then said, "Alright then. Now lesson one to a lady is how to walk correctly."

~oOo~

After training Kari felt clumsy and not like a lady at all. Kari made all the objects placed on her head fall off because she couldn't walk correctly. Konan said it was because it was her first lesson, but Kari still thought she should've done better. Kari sighed once she reached her room and fell on her bed face first. Koumori had another meeting with her family so she wouldn't be back to watching over Kari till tomorrow; whatever they discussed, Kari would never know.

When she felt Zetsu's presence she didn't even bother to look up at him. Once she knew that he was up to his abdomen from the ground he spoke, "We have a mission tomorrow Kari-chan. **So get your things ready know so we don't have to wait for you tomorrow to do it.**"

Kari glared at the man but he was already gone; she wanted to take out her frustration of failing twice in one day out on someone who wouldn't hurt her for it. The glare did let off some pent up rage at herself, but she thought it was best if Zetsu didn't see because he would've ended up laughing at her for trying to look scary; that probably would've made her self anger stronger.

She heard a chair being pulled over to her bed and so she turned her head over to see who it was and was not that much shocked to see Madara sitting there on a chair next to her bed. She smiled slightly at him, to make it known she acknowledged he was there, before turning her head back into her pillow. Kari really started to feel clumsy and foolish, as she always did in his presence, but a bit more than usual.

Madara smirked behind his mask at the slightly depressed Kari; it was an amusing side of her the he never saw except for in her first weeks of occupying this building. Madara placed a hand on her shoulder and shook it lightly saying, "If you are hungry Kari-chan, our dinner is ready."

Kari peeked at him from the corner of her eyes and from in between her hair. She moaned and sat up wishing that her bed wasn't so comfy and she wasn't so tired before she smiled tiredly and asked, "So what do we have?"

Madara brought his chair back to the table and said, "Just simple foods tonight."

Kari sat on the table and noticed that there was a bowl of small star shaped noodles and they had a yellowish color that came from butter. Kari took a whiff of the food before her and her stomach growled and she blushed as she saw Madara smirk and take a bite. She did the same and when she took a bite she was surprised it tasted almost like rice. She quickly ate it and really never guessed that she would need so much food to gain back the energy and chakra she had used today.

Once she was done her bowl, Madara placed another in front of her and she devoured it just as quickly. Once she was done Madara's mask was on and he said, "I suggest you only eat a small breakfast tomorrow Kari. If what I think will happens does, you don't want your body to try and process the food it just ate."

Kari nodded and asked, "Just what is my mission tomorrow exactly Madara-sama?"

Madara placed interlocked hands under his chin and rested his head on the elegant fingers. He was silent for a second, as if trying to decide what to tell the young one before he stated, "You will have to kill someone."

Kari's face slightly drained of color and her insides twisted in panic. She never wanted to kill someone, and she never had reason to… was this why Kari's mission became more brutal? Was Madara trying to prepare her for this mission? What if she didn't kill the person? What would Madara think to do with Kari then? All of those questions and many more like them floated in her head as Madara observed her with a triumphant smirk.

He knew Kari would take this mission in order to please him, other wise all of this time, though somewhat entertaining, was for nothing. Madara though had no worries, he knew from the time he had come to take her away from the gypsies and Haru, one of his subordinates, that she wouldn't be unpredictable.

Madara then pulled out his final words that would have Kari wrapped around is finger, "If you can't do it I can understand, but I would have to admit that I would be disappointed in you if you refuse Kari-chan." and with that he left with all the dishes.

Kari looked at the spot he sat and was in shock. She would have to kill someone, which until a few moments ago she wouldn't even think she _could _do it, or have Madara disappointed in her. She didn't want Madara to be disappointed in her and all her doubts about killing a person nearly melted away; she wouldn't disappoint Madara. She would _have _to kill on her next mission tomorrow.

Kari quickly got up and packed her weapons and other gear that she would need for the next day. Once she was done about a half hour later, Kari lay on her bed and put her hand on her story pendant she got from Marie and put chakra into it and picked a random story which she watched until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, cut the charka off and fell asleep.

~oOo~

Kari placed herself and her things inside Zetsu's flytrap and hung onto his neck so she wouldn't be shifted in anyway that could make her more sick than she would have to be. She was already nervous enough when she found out that she would have to infiltrate the building by herself.

Once they stopped too soon for Kari's nerves the young girl stepped out and slipped on a mask that looked to be modeled after Koumori.

For the whole day and an hour past sunset Kari, Zetsu and even Koumori had to survey the ground and look at the guard schedules and the castle schedule in general. She knew that later that night there would be a party which her target would not be attending.

Once the moon was high in the sky and the party was at full swing Kari had adjusted her outfit to make sure that no one could identify her in anyway Zetsu said, "We'll be observing you and reporting how well you do to Madara-sama and Pein-san. **So don't mess up**." He then melded in back with the tree that she was standing on and Koumori appeared as she said she would.

Kari smiled at her bat and said, "You know the drill, stay in front and tell me of any people invading your sound waves"

The mother bat nodded and they jumped to the ground and started to swiftly make their way to the upper story of the _*****_Yakuza's castle. When she was on the first floor she had to be very cautious because there was a party going on, and even if she could blend in as one of the guards, she already knew that her target wasn't with them. Kari was looking to every sound or sight that she noticed before she got to the second floor and could relax a bit due to this floor being for the guests the Yakuza kumicho of this castle didn't care for, such as servants and any slaves.

Kari knew they wouldn't rat on her until they were sure she wasn't there for the party, but before that happened she silently walked up to the third and fourth floors where the guests at the party would sleep. There was hardly anyone there except for some men who were with some prostitutes and form the noises she heard, she guessed they were procreating in those few that were occupied.

Kari shivered as she remembered her lesson on sex from Konan just a few months ago and didn't think she would ever want to do something that dirty with someone for quite a while. Though Kari shook off her nerves as best she could as she entered the sixth floor and headed for the seventh. The sixth floor would hold all the high members of the kobun that belonged to this castle as well as the guards that were the last defense for the kumicho.

Kari silently walked through the complex halls of the sixth hall and had to hide over ten times till she got to the stairs that led to the kumicho claimed as his room. She knew for a fact that there were six guards all in each of the corners of the room, but she didn't know how strong they were or how tough her target himself would be.

Though when she entered she was surprised to see that there were no guards that she could sense and her target was asleep in the center. Before she took a step forward Koumori pushed her back and sent out her sound waves to send Kari her message, "_The man may be your target, but if you get close to him alarms will go off._"

Kari nodded and made hand signs before she sent her own silent and invincible sound wave back at Koumori and asked, "_Do you know how to deactivate it?_"

Koumori shook her head, "_You'll just have to attack without touching the ground."_ and with that the bat picked her up by her legs and grew a bit in size so she could hold the young girl and keep her a decent height off the floor. Once she was directly above her target Kari took a deep breath and was paced on his bed mat, where the trap wasn't set. Kari thought this was stupid and looked at the man she was to kill as she slid out a kunai from her pack.

Once she was sure that it was him and got Koumori's second opinion Kari quickly placed her gloved hand over the disgusting man's mouth and held her kunai over his neck and restrained his movement by strategically placing her body in a certain way on his midsection. He widened his eyes as he muffled an angry and shocked yell but Kari shook her head and looked at him and though of why she was here.

Kari was here so she could prove to Madara that she wasn't a disappointment; she was here for a mission; she was here to prevent anyone from interfering in the Akatsuki's plans for peace. With that last thought she pushed her blade deep into his neck and was glad that the blood that sprayed out at her only got on the cloth and not on her skin. She was sure this man was diseased and besides, she didn't want his filthy and corrupt blood on her skin.

When she was sure he was dead, she removed her hands form his mouth and looked at her gloved digits. She couldn't help but stare at them in shock. She didn't think that killing a person would be that easy, even if she did catch a bit of trouble when she got to his neck bones. She still couldn't believe she took a life with her own hands.

She shivered and stood up looking out the window, signaling to Zetsu that her job was a success. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she couldn't go back to a normal life now, and she felt as if she would have to do more killing in the future. All of this would turn out okay in the end right? She would help in Madara's goal in the end, and that would eventually stop her having to kill right?

Kari looked to her first official kill with her own hands and shook her head to try and banish any negative thoughts; this was for peace. Zetsu then appeared form the ground and said, "**Finally a meal we can eat!** We were getting hungry. Thank you Kari-chan for the meal. **Now get back to the base and do it before we eat in front of you again.**"

Kari shivered once again when she remembered the first couple of times she had to witness Zetsu eating a human corpse, and she wished she never had to. She quickly turned away and opened a window before Koumori flew out and transformed to her full size. Kari looked back at Zetsu and saw he was already taking his meal away with him and she sighed and hopped onto her bat's back and they took off into the night sky, just as the alarms went off.

Arrows began to fly at them but Koumori's large wings created air gusts of their own that caused the arrows to be interrupted in their direction and fall to the ground below. Plus Koumori was faster in her full form so they were soon out of sight of the castle. Kari hugged her bat, after changing from her bloody clothes into the cleaner ones beneath them, and said, "Thank you for helping me in this Koumori. I'm sure you're disgusted of me for killing someone."

Koumori let out a laugh and said, "No. You wouldn't do it if you truly thought it was wrong so I can't be disgusted in you Kari."

Kari smiled and closed her eyes and asked without hoping for a response, "Tell me when we get close to the base alright?" Koumori only made a slight nod and Kari closed her eyes and fell asleep.

~oOo~

Kari woke up when she felt Koumori practically crash to the ground. Kari quickly jumped up and went directly in front of Koumori's large face and asked, "What's wrong?"

Koumori smiled and said, "I think one of the Yakuza got me when we were getting away."

Kari quickly ran around the bat and looked for anything that might cause the great bat from the sky right outside of the Yakuza's territory. Though what Kari saw made her fall to her knees; just how long had she been bleeding for? Kari couldn't believe that Koumori had flown all that way without falling. Kari then shook her head and forced herself to get up and rip the arrows that penetrated Koumori's soft underbelly.

Koumori made a hissing sound but didn't move as her instincts told her to; which was to bite whatever was causing her pain. Then Kari forced Koumori to shrink to a size of a small kitten, and she ripped some of her shirt as a makeshift bandage. Kari closed her eyes and then said, "Why didn't you tell me Koumori!"

The bat shook her head and said, "I didn't want you to worry over something I didn't think was that bad."

"But it is that bad!" Kari then started to sing a song of any summon that could get her back to the Akatsuki base as fast as she could.

"I… I …." Koumori started but the bat lost consciousness just as Kari's eagle summon came, and her makeshift bandaging was becoming soaked with blood.

Kari saw this and yelled, "Koumori!" She quickly hopped on the eagle as it shrunk to a size that would be able to carry Kari and also make their trip faster, "Go Alum! GO!"

"Yes Summoner-sama." Alum said and took off to the sky.

Kari ripped off some more of her clothing and wrapped it around Koumori and said with tears in her eyes, "Don't die on me Koumori. Please… don't leave me too…"

_*****_This is the Japanese version of the mafia and if you want to know more about it look at wikipedia, and there are a couple of terms here that are dealing with it too. Kumicho is the boss of the entire syndicate… or at least I believe it is, and kobun are his underlings… once again I didn't take a good look at the wikipedia page so I don't kow if it really is this.

**_A/N:_ Oh I forgot to say something. next weeks chapter may be a little late because I'm starting new classes and I really don't know if I'll have time to type up a new chapter so please don't be mad if it's late! and remember to review! and thanks for all the favorites and alerts too!**


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: **_**Sorry it took me so long to get this out and it's not as long as the other's but I wanted to end it there for now and I needed to because I wanted to get this out to you guys for Valentine's Day! I know some of you don't like it, but I like it because I get candy an chocolate from friends and family and can eat as much as I want. lol I sound like a kid, but am proud to announce that! Any way, hope you guys lie this chapter and remember, I want constructive criticism! No flames! But if you have good reviews I'll be fine ^w^**

_"Even the people who come our way look upon us in amazement, that we run only for the healing of Mother Earth." _  
_Dennis Banks_

Kari immediately ran to her room as soon as Alum landed. She let the large eagle do what it wanted, which was to go to his home and get out of the rain. Once the young summoner reached her room she placed Koumori on the bed and looked around her room for some bandages. When Kari found some, she unwrapped the makeshift bandages and quickly put the clean new ones on as securely as possible.

The bleeding didn't seem to be seeping through but Kari was still anxious about it. She paced her room as her eyes constantly traveled back to the bat. Soon Koumori's body seemed to slip from unconsciousness to a gentle sleep and Kari fell next to her bat with a relieved sigh after changing the healing wound.

Kari let tears fall out of her eyes and said, "Thank you. Thank you. You didn't take Koumori away from me. Thank you." Kari then felt that day's activities weighed on Kari's eyes and they shut in an instant.

… and in another instant Kari woke up and saw that Koumori's bandages were starting to bleed through again. How long was she out now? Kari changed the bandages and saw that the wound wasn't bleeding anymore, but it still could.

Kari looked at a clock and saw it was too early to wake up, but also too late to fall asleep… the young girl didn't know what to do with herself. She eventually decided to go down and get Koumori and herself some breakfast. There wasn't much to offer because most of the members were out on missions a lot lately, so Kari decided to take the fruit bowl that held enough for a hungry ten year old girl and a summoned bat.

When she got back, she was happy to see Koumori had opened her eyes and the young girl said, "Morning Koumori. I'm glad you're okay now!"

Koumori smirked in a bat sort of way, "I can't be killed that easily."

Kari smiled and gave Koumori a piece of fruit that look like enough for Koumori to handle, and took out an apple for herself. When that was done Kari noticed that the time was about the time she usually would wake up and remembered something… she forgot to report the success of her mission.

Kari scooped Koumori up and said, "Let's go see Pein-sama."

Koumori nodded and strategically placed herself on Kari's shoulder so she wouldn't fall off, while not aggravating her wound with any movements Kari made. Kari walked down the hall and down some stairs when she felt Zetsu's presence. She turned to where he was going to pop up and then said, "Good morning Zetsu-san."

"Good morning Kari-chan. **We told Pein about the mission.** You should tell him your side. **He might get mad at you why you weren't there with the report.**" Zetsu said and then disappeared.

Kari sighed and continued on her way to Pein's office. Once she was in front of the door and she knocked, she was allowed in and the young girl said, "I am here to file my report Pein-sama."

"I expect to here why you didn't report here immediately Kari-chan," Pein stated while continuing on with some paperwork.

"Yes I'm wondering why too Kari-chan," Madara stated as he walked out from the shadows, startling Kari.

"I'm sorry, but Koumori was injured on our escape and I had to care for her." Kari stated with a bow.

Pein and Madara nodded and looked at the bat on the young girl's shoulder. The wrapping hadn't hid the scent of blood, which showed evidence that Kari wasn't lying, but Madara knew that she wouldn't leave; she was too loyal to him now.

Pein then said, "I have gotten the report from Zetsu, and now that I have your side as to why you are late, you are free to go Kari-chan."

The young girl smiled and bowed again before saying, "Good day Pein-sama, Madara-sama." and she then left out to the hall.

When Kari got back to her room her eyes were drawn to the date and a small smile appeared on her lips and tears fell from her eyes. Koumori noticed the tears and asked, "What's wrong Kari?"

"Yesterday I killed a man with my own hands, and you were really hurt, and today you got better, and I am now another year older." Kari stated thinking that so much has happened in two days.

Koumori licked at Kari's tears and said, "Come on Kari. I think you've been up for too long. Just get some rest."

Kari nodded and then as soon as her head hit the pillow she was asleep.

Though when she awoke it was only about five hours later and about lunch time. When she headed down to the kitchen she was glad no one was there, but she heard some people yelling down the hall. There was then a crash and Kari nearly jumped fro her seat. Against her better instincts, Kari got up and peeked past the corner of the doorway and almost had an impact with Gig's backside if Koumori didn't pull the young girl's head away at the last second before he crashed into the wall.

Soon the reason to Gig's sudden flight and crash abilities came into view and Kari couldn't get out of there fast enough. She ran down the hall and hid in Pein's office and when she noticed that he wasn't there she hid under his desk. Soon the crashing from the kitchen came towards the way of Pein's office and Kari squeaked when she heard the door bust open with a crash.

Kari jumped over Gig's broken and bleeding body and ran to the training room, hopefully to find someone who could calm Kakuzu's nerves a bit. When she saw no one was there Koumori suggested they look in the lounge room. Kari agreed and with all speed she could muster Kari was soon in said room and was nearly out of breath and smiled when she saw that Kisame was there.

"Kisame-san… Kakuzu-san seems to finally… have reached… his breaking point. Do… you know where Leader-sama is?" Kari asked while gaining her breath back.

Kisame gave her a toothy grin and said, "Leader-sama is away on a mission with Konan-sama. Show me where this fight is. I want to see what Kakuzu can really do."

Kari inwardly shook her head and thought, "_Kakuzu's probably going to kill a fellow Akatsuki member and all Kisame can think of is how well Kakuzu fights? Oh well… I hope Gig-san makes it out of this okay or someone will be in big trouble._" She then turned her gaze to the shark shinobi and said, "Follow the sound of crashing and I'm sure you'll find them Kisame-san."

Kisame smirked wider and quickly grabbed his Samehada, ruffled the new eleven year old's hair and said, "Thanks kid." and he was off.

Kari sighed and sat down on the couch and put Koumori on her lap to check if any wounds opened up while running away from Kakuzu's onslaught on Gig. When Koumori's wounds were deemed healed by Kari, the bat was finally free of the bandages.

"Finally! I felt like I was going to not to be able to fly forever!" Koumori exclaimed as she flew up and around the room.

Kari giggled and said, "Be careful Koumori! You just finished healing!"

"Healing from what?" a voice said coming from behind her, near the door way.

Kari quickly got up and bowed when she saw Orochimaru and Sasori walk into the room and said, "Good morning Sasori-san, Orochimaru-san."

"I don't like to be kept waiting gaki." Sasori said in his raspy voice.

"I'm sorry Sasori-san I'll explain," Kari calmed herself down quite quickly from the uneasiness she felt around the Akatsuki pair in front of her, "On our way back from a mission, Koumori was shot with some arrows and was injured until just now. Nothing big to worry about."

Sasori nodded and turned to Orochimaru and stated, "I have to meet with a subordinate of mine. Make sure to tell Leader-sama when he gets back."

The snake man nodded and smirked, "I'll be sure to Sasori-san." the puppeteer then left and Orochimaru turned his gaze back to Kari who had taken up her previous seat and engaged herself in a book that she left on a table a previous time. She felt really uncomfortable to be with Orochimaru alone, but was slightly comforted when she heard crashing sounds coming their way. Koumori flew onto Kari's shoulder as Orochimaru sat down on a chair across from the young girl and asked, "So what kind of mission did you have to go on Kari-chan?"

The girl looked away and said quietly, "I had to kill a person in the way of Leader-sama's goal."

Orochimaru let out a quiet, dark chuckle and asked, "Did it go well before the escape?"

Kari nodded and actually wished that Kakuzu, and whomever was watching at this point, would get there already as she glanced at the sharp gaze of the snake sanin. The young summoner then looked at Koumori and scratched behind the bat's ear and went more into detail out of politeness rather than want, "The guard detail wasn't the heavy on the lower levels, and on the higher levels I got past them quite easy, though if Koumori hadn't been there I might've set off an alarm."

Orochimaru nodded and said, "And the assassination?"

Kari paused and looked over at Orochimaru and shivered under her gaze and at the memory of killing the subject of their conversation. She then looked away and said, "It was simple." She didn't want to go into any detail… Orochimaru just seemed like the kind of man she couldn't trust.

Just then as Orochimaru was about to speak Kisame's voice yelled, "Calm down Kakuzu-san! He's not worth it now all beat up."

"I don't fucking care right now," Kakuzu's growl came and Gig's bloody, broken, and nearly unconscious body was thrown by Kakuzu's strings right in between Orochimaru and Kari; the latter nearly squeaking out loud if she hadn't put on her emotionless mask while talking to Orochimaru.

Gig looked up at Kari and moved his lips to say 'Help Me' but soon Kakuzu's threads ripped into the berserker's chest and ripped out his heart. Kisame shook his head and said something about Pein and his anger levels, but all Kari could here was the deep beating of her heart and the flowing of her blood in her ears. She had seen people be killed, but seeing someone who she had known, killed right in front of her, made her frozen in shock… Then as she got out of her shocked state Kari thought about what Pein would do when he found out Kakuzu had killed one of his comrades in his goal to make the world a better place.

Soon an almost normal presence came from the floor and it kind of soothed Kari a bit to know a normal appearance of Zetsu was about to occur. Kari didn't know why, but ever since she had gotten used to Zetsu, in a weird way the more she trusted him… especially now that he had covered for her with Pein, and that he was her partner.

Kari looked over at Kakuzu to whom Zetsu was to appear next to, and just as he began to surface from the stone, the ring Gig was wearing levitated, free of blood, right onto Kari's lap. She picked it up and Zetsu said, "It seems Leader-sama's assumption was right when he said you would kill Gig-san, Kakuzu-san. **Guess we get to eat now. **That would be good. Oh and Kari-chan come here."

Kari didn't let her nerves show as she walked next to Kakuzu, right after she saw him kill Gig-san,, but looked at Zetsu and asked, "Yes Zetsu-san?"

Kakuzu shook his head and walked away, but Zetsu stopped him and said, "**Leader-sama has a new partner waiting for you.** Kari and I will escort you to meet them tomorrow morning."

Kakuzu glared at Zetsu and said, "As long as this one's not like that dead fool on the ground." and walked away.

Kisame turned to Kari and said, "You handled that quite well Kari-chan."

Kari smiled and said, "Thank you Kisame-san," then turned her attention back to Zetsu, after she noticed that Orochimaru had disappeared.

Zetsu looked her over and said, "Leader-sama is in his office and wishes to speak with you about something. **Don't be too slow or he may give out punishment as to why not to be late.**"

Kari nodded and noticed that it was just her, Zetsu, and Gig's dead body. She said a quick and silent prayer to the berserker and then headed off to Pein's office. She guessed that it was Madara who was calling her down, because Pein wouldn't give out punishment for being tardy; even though Madara wouldn't either the ancient shinobi may not be too pleased over Kakuzu's killing of a qualified Akatsuki and she didn't want to anger him further.

She hurriedly entered Pein's office and was correct when she saw Madara sitting in Pein's seat. He seemed quite relaxed and she couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep because of the mask; by the sound of his breathing, though, he was awake. "You wanted to see me Madara-sama?"

"I did indeed Kari-chan. Come here." He said as he sat in a more formal position on the chair. Kari did and she was told and then Madara said, "To find Kakuzu-san's new partner, you'll be traveling with your group of gypsies again."

Kari smiled and cheered a bit in her head and asked, "For how long?"

"About a week. Any longer and I fear Kakuzu-san will attack part of your precious gypsies in an irreversible way." Madara stated.

Kari felt panicked and asked, "And what is Kakuzu-san going to be doing while we travel with them?"

"He'll be a guest, so let him do as he wishes unless he does something out of hand. If so, get Zetsu immediately and everything will be fine."

Kari nodded and then Madara, manipulator of words and gestures, pat Kari on the head and said, "Stay safe Kari-chan."

Kari felt a slight blush form on her face and she turned her face to look at the ground and said, "Yes Madara-sama."

"Good girl. Now go pack. Kakuzu-san won't like to wait if it means keeping him away from some form of profit." Madara stated and stood up, walking to the shadows.

"Yes Madara-sama." And with those last words from Kari, Madara disappeared. Zetsu soon appeared with a slight hint of his finished meal and Kari asked, "Where are the gypsies located right now?"

"**They are near Konohagakure. **It's quite warm around this time of year for them so pack appropriately." Zetsu stated and then melded back with the ground.

Kari then headed to her room, smiling all the way about getting to see her family one again.

~oOo~

The next morning Kari woke up earlier than she hoped she would but she was too excited, and also she couldn't stop thinking about Gig's face and how helpless the once powerful shinobi looked when he died and how she would be traveling with his killer to meet another partner. Also Kari found out during breakfast that Kakuzu had two partners before Gig whom he decided were to aggravating to let live.

Kari hope she would never get on the tan man's bad side. When she was waiting inside Zetsu's fly trap, ready to travel, she nestled her head into the cannibal's neck and closed her eyes. She didn't know why, but he was a comfort to her in a way that she couldn't understand. Maybe this was what it felt like with a real family… she couldn't remember if she felt this way with Haru, Crsito or any other of the merry band of gypsies, but she didn't mind if she didn't find out. Maybe it was that she trusted him enough at this point in their partnership that she wasn't afraid of him anymore and this was her bodies way of telling her that.

When she felt Kakuzu coming near them she opened her eyes and looked in his direction. Kari smiled at the stitched man and said, "Ready Kakuzu-san?"

"Let's get this over with." Kakuzu stated and headed off before them.

Kari looked up at Zetsu's yellow eyes and asked, "Is he going to stop for a bounty?"

Zetsu smirked, "**Why do you think Madara-sama gave him a week.** If it wasn't for the extended period of time, we might've had to deal with a lot more problems then bounty hunting."

"Well that's good. I don't want my family harmed. Do Pein-sama and Konan-san know about Gig-san?" Kari asked.

"**They are the ones who knew this was going to happen. **They even picked out Kakuzu-san's new partner for him. That is why Madara-sama told you your mission. **Pein-san and Konan-san, both, are still in Amegakure, but they had to deal with some things on the outer edges.**" Zetsu stated.

Kari nodded and said, "Could you wake me when we get to the gypsies Zetsu-san? I didn't sleep well last night."

"**Whatever. **We'll be sure to wake you." Kari smiled at Zetsu and then fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Well here it is! After about two weeks of writer's block I come to you with this new chapter… though I have to say that with writer's block I got to watch some anime and I have to say I love Blood+ and Clannad, and Darker Than Black, and Ghost Hound. Also if you haven't read the worst fan fiction ever written then you should! It is so bad it is hilarious! Go on google and type in My Immortal and it should be the first link there. If you can't stand bad grammar though, I mean really can't stand it I warn you there is a lot and there is also a video version on the site where you can listen to it. But man is it awfully funny!**_

_**Another thing I would like to mention is that if you want some updates about my sotries and such you should check my profile. I usually have news on updates and such like that more often then I actually type them up.**_

_**Oh and another thing I want to mention! On my profile there is a link as to what Kari's eye transformation looks like! You should check it out cause I took a lot of time to make that and it's kind of cool if I don't say so myself! XD**_

"_To be a good loser is to learn how to win."_

_- Carl Sandburg_

Kakuzu arrived at the gypsy camp the night of Kari's first performance since she left the merry band. However, when he saw the young girl in mention he had to admit he was a bit surprised to see her acting like… well… her age. At the base, whenever he would see the young summoness, she would be quiet, respectful, and acting like a kunoichi was supposed to. But now she was acting like an energetic and happy young girl, and Kakuzu had to admit that he found it a bit cautious. Kari's change of personality just proved that you can never truly know someone and must be prepared for any change.

"Your bounty was a success we see. **Took you long enough.**" Zetsu stated as e rose from the ground.

Kakuzu glared over at him and stated, "The person who put the bounty on him didn't seem to know exactly what my bounty was capable of."

Zetsu smirked and a silent chuckle emitted from his lips. "**Enough standing around. **Right, let's introduce you Kakuzu-san."

Kakuzu nodded and headed over to the camp as Zetsu melded back with the ground and was soon next to Kari who had just climbed on the lion, Eon, who decided he didn't mind Zetsu. She smiled at her partner and when Zetsu spoke of Kakuzu's presence, she nearly fell off Eon from turning around to face Kakuzu so quickly.

She smiled at him and then waved over to him, clicked her heels against Eon and walked him over to the stitched man. "Good day Kakuzu-san. Should I lead you to where you'll be resting?"

The man nodded and Kari once again clicked her heels against the sides of her trusty lion friend towards camp, where Cristo had set up a space for the Akatsuki member to stay while they traveled. Actually, Kari was glad that they were prepared because Zetsu and she had expected him to take a bit longer than two days on his bounty; that just meant that his bounty was closer to a bounty station than they thought.

Kari peeked back at the second tallest man of the Akatsuki and noticed that he seemed to be observing his surroundings. Kari smiled a bit at the remembrance of what she was like when she first arrived here and when she looked back ahead, she noticed that Hake was standing outside his office.

Kari waved at him and yelled, "Hake-san! Kakuzu-san is here!"

Hake smiled and pat Kari's head when she jumped off Eon to stand next to him and said, "Well now we can get on with our job." He then turned to Kakuzu and looked at him wit slightly squinted eyes of distrust and said, "We would like to ask you if you would stay in you room while traveling with us, and if you do leave we ask you to leave with a disguise or something that would hide your affiliation with Akatsuki."

Kakuzu nodded and Hake continued, "We are grateful that your organization has taken care of our Kari-chan here," he fluffed the young girl's hair, causing her to frown and blush with embarrassment, "But we want to keep our relations with you all a secret and so we can still run this show understood."

"I think that would be common sense Hake-san." Kakuzu said and he seemed to be a bit angrier than Kari would've liked.

She quickly motioned for Eon to go back to Cristo and then said, "Kakuzu-san, if you would follow me?" and the youngest member of the camp led the eldest addition over to where he would be sleeping and hiding until they were ready to leave with a new partner for said man.

Once they were at Kakuzu's resting spot, Kari was about to leave when Kakuzu asked, "So what should I be expected to do here? I hope I don't have to waste any of my precious commodities."

Kari bowed and said, "You won't have to get rid of anything or do anything if you don't want to." She then stood erect, looked at him in the eye as he sat on the bed, and smiled respectfully, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for tonight's show." With another bow, she left Kakuzu to his own thoughts at how differently she acted in front of the Akatsuki and in front of these gypsies and her partner.

Kari on the other hand, was only acting that way in front of the Akatsuki because she didn't want to offend or anger them. Though in front of Madara, Zetsu, Pein, and Konan, even a bit in front of Kisame she could be herself. Kari skipped over to Marie and asked the spinner of genjutsu tales, "Marie-san, what can I do to help you?"

Marie smiled and said, "Do you still have my gift I gave to you?" Kari nodded her head, eyes shining with the hope of being able to help. Marie laughed and held out her had, "Could I see it for just a second?"

Kari did as she was told and when Marie put it in her hands, while performing hand seals Kari asked, "How is this helping Marie-san?"

Marie smiled soon after she was done and handed it back to Kari saying, "I added some new tales to your charm. I would like you to take it over to Josephine, Namé, and Rikard and help them by singing with their music. I want to see how music will go with my tales."

"Um… how am I going to add music to this… I only know how to view them." Kari asked with a raised brow.

Marie nodded and said, "I made it so you could add edit the tales. I'll show you how to activate and deactivate those traits. Now how about you go and see those three and add music to the first three tales?"

Kari nodded her head and quickly headed over to the helping trio and told them of what Marie wanted. Since they weren't doing anything, they agreed and Kari added a little humming or singing wherever she could. Once the selected tales were done Kari headed over Marie, but was stopped when Zetsu came out of the ground.

Kari smiled at the plant man and said, "What's up Zetsu-san?"

"Kakuzu's potential partner is in the town where this group is going to perform. **We already told Kakuzu-san this**."

"Then why do you need to tell me?" Kari asked confused.

"**You will have to go back to Amegakure after this. **Sorry but you'll have to say your good byes right after we get our answer." Zetsu said and with a head bow, he was gone.

Though Kari stood there in a small state of shock… she hadn't expected to leave this soon… she had only just gotten there… Kari sighed and shook her head. She had to do this. If she was, ever going to become a strong kunoichi she would have to have no emotions… but getting rid of them hurt worse than gaining them… but she would do this for Madara. She would do this for his dream.

Kari put on a smile after a deep breath and when she got to Marie, she relayed the news, only to be met with a smile. Marie ruffled the young girl's head and said, "Well it was great to see you again Kari, but like a young bird leaving the nest, we really can't expect to see you that much now can we?"

Kari sniffled a bit and hugged the older woman who hugged right back. Haru then came over and Kari clung onto him and told him the news… he seemed to take it the hardest out of all of the gypsies she would tell. Though Cristo was a close second along with his animals.

Seeing as how she would have to most likely force this person to join, Kari wouldn't be performing as much as she had planned that night, only in Cristo's act, and even then, she would have he kunoichi gear underneath her flamboyant clothing. Kari wondered if she would ever get to try out the clothing and dances that Nave, Sandra, Melina, and Amice had given and taught her.

Though during the show and her performance she would have to be on the lookout for their target. Hopefully this one would last longer than Gig. Ezekiel and Samuel, who were the ticket collector's that night, would be on the look out for a man of the description they were given, but knowing their target he would be hidden from view. What could Kari say? Their target was an S-rank criminal in hiding, but he seemed to like performances of this kind.

Kari was just slipping her costume over her other clothes when Zetsu popped up and said, "Our target is in the crowd. **Though Kakuzu-san doesn't seem to be too happy about the choice. We wouldn't be either**. Yes the target does seem to have low stats."

Kari nodded and said, "When I'm out collecting money, stay under him so I know which guy. I don't think I'll be too observant with this crowd. It seems that my family has grown in popularity since I left." Kari let out a chuckle.

Zetsu nodded and then was gone again only to be replaced by slightly disguised Kakuzu. The black mask she was used to seeing on him was gone, and his face looked like there was nothing wrong, even though she knew there used to be stitches. Also the stitches on his arms were gone as was the Akatsuki cloak that normally covered him from showing practically any skin. Kari smiled at him and said, "Should I save you a seat in the audience or should I warn you how hectic it can get backstage when the show is going on?"

Kari put her hair up in a bun, as the final adjustment to her costume and Kakuzu responded, "Seat in the audience. Preferably one where I can observe how my new partner acts."

Kari nodded and then asked Josephine, who was passing, to lead Kakuzu to a seat somewhere near, but not in front, of his target. When they were gone, Kari walked back to where Cristo was and asked, "So what changed since I left?"

Cristo smiled and started to explain what he wanted her to do.

~oOo~

Kari had just done more acrobats and bending then she ever remembered having to do when she was younger, but it was easy for her because of the way she was trained. She spotted Kakuzu in the crowd, and by the way, he was staring at a person in the crowd nearly the entire show, she guessed that he wouldn't enjoy his partner any more than he enjoyed Gig.

Kari sighed at that and just hoped that she could walk around base without having to get hurt every five seconds. When Kari was done her performance, she headed into the crowd and collected the money form her section, and was glad that Kakuzu was being avoided by her family. It was a good thing she told him of his miserly habits, but his new partner seemed to not care about giving up money, which made Kari guess why Kakuzu was giving him such a hateful stare.

Sooner than Kari would've wished, the gypsies were done and with one last big and quick goodbye, she stripped herself of her gaudy costume, she gathered her things and silently stalked her target. For once, she could admit that she was glad that she had Zetsu as a partner because she had learned how to be _almost _completely invincible. She noticed how Kakuzu was following as well, but only after he had gathered his money case and snuck out Kari's portion of the profit from the show; Zetsu joined Kari as soon as he pointed Kakuzu in the right direction.

Soon their target stopped when he noticed Kakuzu's overbearing chakra and looked back with fearful eyes. The target increased his speed and kept looking back in a paranoid fashion, letting Kari guess why this man survived all these years. Paranoia sure is a helpful tool when running away.

Soon the target was met with a stonewall and he was trapped like a scared rabbit. Though what surprised Kari was that when the target realized that he had no escape, he turned towards where Kakuzu now appeared and he looked like he could actually take on the five-hearted shinobi. Kari looked on with interest as the previously scared man asked, "What do you want with me? My bounty? My death?"

Kakuzu shook his head and said, "If only I were here for your bounty, but my leader wishes for you to join his organization."

The man raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest asked, "And what is this organization?"

"The Akatsuki." Kakuzu plainly stated.

The man's eyes seemed to widen and then after a moment of his mouth being opened the man laughed and said, "Oh that's just rich! And here I thought you were here for my life. Oh well I guess you still are, but in a different way." The man nodded as he scratched his chin, and Kari realized she hadn't yet seen what this man really looked like.

"So what is your answer?" Kakuzu asked impatiently.

"Hold your horses buddy. I may know about Akatsuki rumors, but I didn't actually think it existed. I'm in a bit of shock of you would please yourself with that explanation. How about we have a small battle and then depending on how I feel after about oh I don't know six minutes I'll give you my answer?" the man stated and Kari couldn't help but be confused just who this man exactly was.

Kakuzu shook his head and then threw his arm out at the man and grabbed his head tightly and threw him to the ground about five times before he forced him against the wall and when Kakuzu's arm was back to its rightful place the tanned man asked, "So what is your answer?"

"I think I'll join", the man said, but he was standing away from Kakuzu and was behind him while Kakuzu was holding a rock figure with a mocking face, "But I have to say man, you really need to calm down. You would've caught that it was just a trick if you didn't have all that anger. You know I'm great at helping people getting over their problems."

Kakuzu seemed to want to kill the person so Kari jumped down and asked, "So are you or are you not going to join us sir?"

The strange man looked over at her in shock and said, "Wait, when did you get here?"

"**She's very sneaky. **We taught her well. **Now answer her question,**" Zetsu said, appearing next to he young girl.

Kakuzu pulled back his fist, and with a change of color, Kakuzu bashed the head of the stone clone and said, "Answer the question or I will actually kill you."

The man stepped back and raised his hands with a nervous laugh and said, "Alright I'll join, just clam down buddy. I don't think you're leader will be too happy if you killed a person who agreed to join. Aren't I right little girl?"

Kari smiled politely, glad that she could escape the dueling powers, and said as she stepped into Zetsu's flytrap, "I'll see you two when you get back to the base. Nice meeting you…"

"Ri, my dear. That's my name." Ri stated.

Kari nodded and then turned to Kakuzu, "Should Zetsu take Ri-san with him or do you think you can handle him?"

Kakuzu glared at Ri and then nodded saying, "As long as I can keep your money I think that I can."

"Kari smiled and then nodded, "Deal." she then turned to Zetsu after waving to Ri, "Let's head back home Zetsu-san."

The plant man obliged by shutting his flytrap and doing what the young girl asked leaving Ri alone with a slightly angry Kakuzu. Ri smiled over to the mostly completely covered man and asked, "So, where exactly is the base?"

Kakuzu glared over at him and then knocked the unsuspecting Ri out and made a few hand signs, "You won't know until Leader-sama is sure of you." and then like that, they were in Pein's office and Kakuzu said, "Mission completed." Just as Kari walked into the room.

Pein nodded and said, "Good job. After Ri-san wakes up I'll be sure to hold a meeting."

Kari and Kakuzu bowed and then were dismissed. Though Kari stayed in the room to state, "I think Ri-san will end up like Gig-san."

Pein nodded and said, "I needed someone to fill Gig-san's place until I could find a suitable partner that won't get on Kakuzu-san's bad side, but it has been rather difficult."

Kari nodded and said, "If there is any way I can help with the search just let me know Pein-sama." and she smiled with a salute.

Pein nodded and stated, "Now that you're back I have a message to deliver to you from Madara-sama."

"Yes?" Kari asked.

"He said that he won't be here for another few weeks." Pein stated. Kari bowed and then left to her room, wondering just what Madara was doing.

~oOo~

When Ri woke up, like Pein promised, a meeting was held, and Sasori and Orochimaru were holograms, due to the fact that they were on a mission and couldn't physically take their place.

After things were explained to Ri, and a ring was given to him, did he finally reveal his face. It was a bit of a disappointment to Kari, but she hid it well. Ri looked like he was heading to the age where shinobi start to become to old to do their job anymore; either they retire or they die. Also he was starting to have gray hair and one could tell that he had quite a few large wrinkles on his face. He was only an inch taller than Kari's current 5'3" and she couldn't see how he was fast enough to create a stone clone and hide before Kakuzu showed up.

When introductions were done and information about how Ri would fight Orochimaru, when they got back, to see if he belonged in their ranks, were they al dismissed and Kari took a much needed break in her room. Surprisingly Kisame trained her during the day that Ri was unconscious because Konan was busy on a mission, and the tallest Akatsuki didn't let up on her; Kari was glad she got some acrobatic practice during her stay with the gypsies or she would be a lot more bruised than she actually was.

Though when Kari got to her room she realized that she was in need of a bath, but she was actually tired and didn't want to wash herself. Though luckily for her, Koumori finally appeared after her absence in the gypsy camp and helped her rake up enough energy to not soil her sheets when she finally fell into them.

When Kari woke up it was still early but it felt like it was just a blink of an eye before she realized that she had slept about seven hours. She yawned and got up and changed when she heard a knock on the door. When she opened it, Kisame was standing there and asked, "Are you ready to practice squirt?"

Kari let out one more yawn before she nodded and followed him to the training room with Koumori flying close behind.

By the end of the training session, Kari was wiped out and Kisame didn't seem to have worked up a sweat, but he did seem to enjoy himself. Though Kari had to admit that she was happy that Konan was back and even though she was tired, Kari found energy she needed to continue onto her woman lesson with Konan.

Though after lessons she was really low on energy and Koumori had to maneuver somehow through the halls while assisting Kari back to her room where Konan had kindly placed some dinner for the tired young girl.

~oOo~

Over the next three weeks Kari would be trained by either Kisame, Konan, Kakuzu, or Ri, depending on what Konan thought would be best for that day. Though it always made more bruises appear on the summoness could tell she was improving and widening her skill sets by training against different strong opponents… though not as strong as she would like to be at. Though that was the case with all shinobi her age.

Also after each of these practices, Konan would continue her woman lessons and Kari, in the blue kunoichi opinion, was learning and keeping this knowledge quite easily. Kari wasn't perfect, but with practice, Konan could tell that Kari would grow up to be a graceful and deadly woman.

Though Kari was always tired after all of this and would be an underweight if it wasn't for Koumori force feeding her food… but as the weeks went on Kari forced herself further and further to get used to this schedule and therefore work up her endurance. Koumori was proud of Kari for being as strong as she was, and was glad to help in any way she could; even Zetsu would sometimes help in transporting Kari back to her room some days.

Though once the three weeks was up Madara finally returned, and Kari was shocked and excite to see him in her room with dinner. He nodded at her and with a analytical eye he said, "You've seemed to have improved since I last saw you."

Kari smiled and sat across from the ancient shinobi and said, "Konan-sama has made it so I'm improving much more quickly now."

Madara nodded and removed his mask to massage his temple, "I'm glad to here that."

Kari smiled and began to eat her food when she said, "We got Kakuzu another partner, and he seems to be getting along with him more that Gig-san… even if they do have some arguments here and there."

"It's good that it worked out that way. I was going to seriously going to be angry if we had to go out and find him another new partner." Madara stated and took a bite of some white rice.

Kari nodded and ate her own food before asking, "So what kind of mission were you one Madara-sama?"

"I was scouting a very promising addition to the Akatsuki." Madara stated while taking a swig of some sake.

Kari raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are they going to join?"

Madara shrugged his shoulders and said, "If things go according to plan, I'll be gone next week and come back with a new member to the Akatsuki."

Kari, without caring if she was being too bold or not asked, "So who is this new person?"

Madara looked up and smiled a tad bit, "Itachi, Uchiha Itachi."


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: **_It has come back to my attention that during one of the great shinobi wars all villages except for Raikage's village used the Akatsuki as their mercenaries… well… for the sake of my purposes I'm going to say that Pein's group before Madara joined, was the one that was deployed to the multiple lands. It makes a lot more sense to me than to have the rest of the current shinobi in it even if it was possible. Sorry for my mistake but I cover them up well, ne? Oh and OMFG I found out that Itachi was 11 when he joined the Akatsuki WHILE he was still not a criminal! It makes a little bit of sense when you look at this URL ( http:/ www. narutobase. net/ forums/ showthread. php?t=141 ), but still... O-o wow! Oro really is a pedo! lol and for the url just remove the spaces

"_A witty saying proves nothing."_

_- Voltaire_

Kari wished that the week would end, but, only three days ago did Madara leave, Kari felt as if the next four days would take an eternity; once again, training would be her savior to keep her distracted. By the end of the week, Kari could not even think about what day it was let alone why she was still awake; the only good thing that happened in her opinion was that she finally got her Akatsuki robe fixed up after a week of needing repairs and cleaning. Koumori scolded her the next morning for not eating the previous night, but Kari waved her off and ate some of her breakfast.

The young summoness wondered just where Sasori and Orochimaru were since they got back. The only time she saw them was when they interrupted her training for the day to test Ri to see if he was acceptable, which he was according to Pein. Once again, she was not sad about this, but she did not want to see the Snake shinobi in some empty hallway alone. However, back to the present, Kari finished her breakfast and went to train with Konan on the art of being a woman, and Kari was glad she was improving, but since she was in the first stages of puberty, she would mess up due to the changes of her body.

She was just glad that she did not have any training to do because she wanted to actually relax on her day off training... but to do what? She had not been able to relax in such a long time she did not know what was she would do. Maybe she would just end up training by herself after all... she paused to think of what she would do and thought, "I could read... it's been a while since I was able to get into a story since my training began."

That is just what she did after she left Konan for her room ... though it wasn't long until she realized that her lessons took extra long that day and it was already suppertime. Kari let out an exasperated sigh, got up, and headed off to the kitchen, where all of the Akatsuki, minus Konan, Zetsu, and Pein, were there. The young girl bowed to them, then went, and got herself some fruit before she took a spot in between Kisame and Kakuzu. She felt intimidated by them, but it was better than the seat next to Orochimaru any day.

"Decided to join leave your life as a hermit eh Kari-chan?" Kisame joked as he always did and it caused Kari to have a small smile and she nodded, biting into the tender flesh of the peach in her hand.

After she swallowed a bite she said, "But I will soon be returning to read about the secrets of life."

"Oh and what would that be?" Kakuzu asked which surprised both Kari and him.

She soon shook off her amazement and replied, "It's a secret, no pun intended."

Kisame snickered and ruffled her hair before he stood up and said, "Well see you at training tomorrow Kari-chan."

Once he was gone Orochimaru said, "You've seem to have grown taller since I last laid eyes on you Kari-chan."

Kari looked at him with a smile, nervous smile and stated, "I have been growing lately."

Orochimaru nodded and asked, "Just how old are you again."

To try to lighten her nerves she joked, "It's rude to ask a lady her age." but it didn't work when he chuckled.

Though he was about to respond, the Akatsuki got a message to head to the meeting room to meet a new member. Kari was relieved when the order continued to state that she was to go to Pein's office. She smiled and said her 'see you later' to the remaining members in the kitchen and headed towards that office.

Koumori came to the human plane and landed on Kari's shoulder asking, "Where are you running off to?"

"There's a new member today and I'm to head to Leader-sama's office."

Koumori nodded and soon they were in front of the double doors that led to her destination. When she entered, she walked up to the desk, bowed and said, "I'm here."

Pein nodded and said, "Good, now Madara-sama would like a word with you."

Kari nodded and followed Pein into the inner office and Madara, with his mask still on, was sitting on a chair, with another person in the other chair. She looked at him and took in his appearance in a second, and all she could say that he was beautiful. His raven hair was tied in a low horsetail and his bangs were split and framed his face. His eyes were in the sharingan form that she saw Madara have many times activated and stress lines appeared to the left and right of his nose.

Madara nodded and Pein left the three of them alone and Kari bowed saying, "You called for me Madara-sama?"

Said man nodded and said, "This is Uchiha Itachi. He will be joining us."

Kari nodded and turned to the other Uchiha and said, "Nice to meet you Uchiha-san." she then turned to Madara and asked, "What are my instructions Madara-sama?"

"Just be sure to act as always Kari-chan, and would you lead Itachi-kun to the meeting room?" he stated.

Kari bowed, "Hai, Madara-sama." Once she was standing straight, once again she looked at Itachi in the eyes and said, "Follow me Itachi-san."

The stoic Uchiha nodded and then followed her out and around the Akatsuki base, until she got to the meeting room with her charge behind her. She told him to stay and he did so, while she walked in. She bowed once to Pein and Konan, before taking her seat next the latter and Zetsu.

Pein then stood up said, "Uchiha-san, you may come in."

Itachi then walked in and was introduced to the Akatsuki in the vaguest of terms. From the description she knew that, like with Madara-sama, he had the Mangekyo Sharingan and that he was a prodigy from Konoha and was a previous ANBU member, which explained his outfit.

The young summoness was surprised when she heard that he was 11 and felt as if she was really lacking in skill. She was 11 too and she didn't even think she could be so accomplished. Kari sighed and wondered just how far back in her studies she was. When she looked up from her depressed state, she noticed that Orochimaru was looking over at Itachi the way he used to look at her. When she saw that all she could think of was that she was glad that he wasn't looking at her anymore. Though she noticed that Itachi was looking at her instead, which made he shiver. Why was he looking at her when he should be paying attention to Pein?

"Kari-chan?" Pein stated.

"Yes Leader-sama?" Kari asked, blushing, realizing she wasn't much paying attention.

"I would like it if you held off on giving Uchiha-san his ring." Pein stated. Kari nodded, and wondered why but just as she was about to asked Pein continued, "He still hasn't defected from his village yet, and we don't want to raise any suspicion."

Kari nodded once again and smiled, "Yes Leader-sama."

Pein nodded and then turned his attention back to the rest of the group and gave out their missions... Kari would have to ask why Itachi hadn't defected yet... reminded her of Orochimaru's situation, but she knew there was more to it than just indecision. After she got her mission, she glanced at Itachi and wondered just what Madara had planned for him.

~oOo~

Orochimaru had a mission with Itachi a week later. Orochimaru attacked Itachi. Itachi defeated Orochimaru and had his hand cut off. Orochimaru defected from the Akatsuki and Kari was nearly jumping for joy when she heard the news from Zetsu at a meeting.

Madara smiled at her later that day when they were eating dinner together and thought that, even though it was a loss, it was an expected one; plus it made Kari a little more like she was when he first saw her. "Calm down Kari-chan and eat your dinner."

Kari giggled and jumped in joy one last time before she sat down and ate the stir fry that was waiting for her, which she proudly made for them, and it was good if she didn't say so herself.

"How long do you plan to have your kekkei genkai on Kari-chan?"

Kari looked up confused at Madara and asked, after she swallowed a bit, "What?"

"Your kekkei genkai is activated. Why?" Madara stated.

"I can answer that." Koumori stated when she appeared on Kari's shoulder. She took a bit of Kari's food and continued, "She's been using too much blood with training she's been doing by herself, and her kekkei genkai helps with the process of getting it back." Kari glared at her bat, but said bat ignored her and ate some more food.

Kari then looked up at Madara, fearing a bit what his reaction to this would be because she felt like a kid caught with their hand in the forbidden cookie jar. However, when she looked up he was calm and collected and was eating his food. She was confused until he finished his food and she knew he had been thinking by his next words.

"Your missions for the next week are going to be given to other members and your training is going to be postponed for a week as well." Madara stated and then folded his hands under his chin and rested his elbows on the table, "Your new order is to take a vacation."

Kari stared in a state of shock for a few seconds before she said, "What?"

Madara smirked at her and said, "In fact, I think that I need a break too. Therefore, to ensure that you relax, I'm going to be going with you. Itachi-san will also be going with us because I need to train him some more and where we are headed is a place our family owns."

Kari nearly fell out of her chair from shock and then just stared at him. She really didn't know what to think in a situation like this.

~oOo~

"I'm sorry Zetsu-san." Kari bowed to her partner, "but I have to do as Madara-sama orders."

Zetsu nodded and said, "You need your rest. **We don't know why you haven't figured this out sooner Kari-chan**."

Kari laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head, "Are you sure you're going to be okay with the missions all by yourself?"

Zetsu smirked, "**Do you think we're weak Kari-chan?** We've been doing this even before you arrived Kari-chan, so we should be okay."

Kari smiled and then hugged the plant shinobi, much to Zetsu's hidden surprise, and said, "That is true." She then let go, grabbed her bag and then headed to the front of the base, "See you later Zetsu-san!"

Zetsu nodded and then melded back into the floor.

Kari sighed and started to walk to an unwanted vacation... what would she do? Itachi was getting stronger everyday and she was getting ordered to relax and keep away form her training all because she wasn't strong enough to have more power over her kekkei genkai. Situations like this made her hate her eyes.

She remembered one time she was younger and was still with her gypsy family, and they stopped at a village somewhere in the land of the waves. One day after one of her training sessions, she had lost a little too much blood, and some of the children came to play, but they were scared away because of her eyes. She felt depressed after that, but soon got over it and thought she would try again... but almost every place she went to she was met by the same reactions. So eventually, she decided to give her all to training.

Kari sighed at the memory and wondered what it would be like to actually have a friend her age. All her friends... or rather, companions were at least ten years older than her... but why was she thinking this now? Oh yeah, Itachi being her age would lead to these thoughts. Speaking of Itachi, she saw him standing at the entry, alone, and he seemed as stoic as the first time she saw him. She smiled apologetically and asked, "Ready?"

He didn't even nod as he walked away, and Kari felt a little depressed; no one her age wanted to even associate with her, still. She clutched onto her bag and followed him and after about a minute or two, she looked like she didn't have many emotions.

Koumori then popped onto her shoulder and smirked saying, "I told you that you'd be forced to relax if you kept your training schedule up."

Kari narrowed her eyes in a glare at the bat and whispered, "Well I'm sorry if I want to be good enough to help Madara-sama's goal!" She didn't want to disturb Itachi with her conversations. No reason for him to dislike her right away.

Koumori nodded and said, "As long as it doesn't affect your health I'm fine with rigorous amounts of training. Though, the way you've been going I don't care if a god told you to train to save the world. I'd tell you to rest."

Kari gave up and nodded saying, "I guess you're right." even though she didn't enjoy it, "And I guess some vacation would be... fun?"

Kari didn't know where they were going, or even if she'd have fun, but she would try for Madara and Koumori's sake.

~oOo~

Why did she have to where this robe? Sure, it felt soft, but it didn't even look like there were any hot springs there and this was that kind of robe one would see in a very expensive hot spring resort. Madara had some last minute business so he wasn't there to train Itachi, leading the young shinobi to be stuck in the same room as the relaxing summoness. Though, unlike the young summoness, he was in training gear and had a certain aura about him that screamed that he would rather be training. Kari had the same aura as they stared at each other and Koumori just hung on one of the ceiling rafters and quietly chuckled at the two pre-teens. Neither one seemed content in the normal human relaxation methods. Koumori looked out the window and noticed that she had been asleep for quite some time, and it was almost time for her to go hunting for food, and once she took off into the sky Kari let out a sigh and fell against the mat bed.

She looked up at the ceiling and asked, "Uchiha-san?"

"Hn?" Itachi replied much to Kari's shock. She had expected him to just ignore her.

"What is there to do here?" Kari asked after a couple of seconds of thinking how to say her question.

"There's a bath house at the west end," Madara's voice said as he opened the door and strolled in.

Kari sat up and smiled at the elder Uchiha and stated, "Good evening Madara-sama."

Madara sat next to the young summoness and pat her head and she beamed. He then turned to Itachi and said, "Itachi-kun, let's go train, and Kari" the young girl looked up at the masked man, "be sure to relax."

Kari nodded and he pats her head once again before standing up and following out Itachi to the training grounds. Kari huffed and wished she could be trained by Madara, but the baths seemed to call out to her, so she gathered up her supplies and headed over to the baths.

Though as she was headed down the hall it felt as if she was missing something. Nothing big mind, but something. She put her things in the bath house as she would normally do, have a one quick wash over and then she headed into the hot springs. It was nice and relaxing and she could feel herself start to fall asleep until-

"Kari-chan! What are you doing here?"

Kari looked up surprised and looked around for the voice, and when the fog cleared and the bodies could be identified, Kari smiled.


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N:_ Well I finally go this chapter out and have to say that I don't hate it as much as I did originally... believe me... the first version of this chapter was so boring! Not saying this one is much better, but it's better than that chatper. Hope you all enjoy and I have a new sotry up for all those Kuroshitsuji, aka Black Butler, fans out there. Well mostly for those Undertaker fans out there. ehehe. That story will mostly be one I work on if I decide I can't work on my Naruto ones because of writer's block, but don't worry, it won't put these in danger of lack of updates. It will actualyl help this story along sometimes... like tonight for exapmle. Anyway... it's 1:16 in the morning and I'm writing this author's note after I typed and edited this chapter. Hope you like it and always remember to review... and if I forgot or didn't respond to your review, I'm sorry, but thatnk you anyway and I'll be sure to next time!**

"_I recorded my hair this morning, tonight I'm watching the highlights_"

- _Jay London_

Madara was walking back with Itachi to their room when they heard laughter coming from the unisex baths. The guests in there were being quite loud and the ancient shinobi was wondering just what was going on when Kari lifted up the cloth with a laugh saying, "Alright I'll be right back, just hold on for a second." She apparently was participating in the loudness. When she spotted Madara and Itachi he smile changed but it changed a bit more to one of respect, "You'll never guess who's here Madara-sama." Kari whispered, as she got closer to the two Uchiha.

"Who is it?" Madara asked; a bit peeved that she was involved in that racket.

"You remembered that gypsy group you took me from? Well they're here. It's strange since I just saw them a month ago!" Kari's smile widened and then went into an O shape when she remembered something, "Madara-sama?"

"Hm?" Madara stated.

Itachi had eventually decided he had enough of this and left the happy looking faced Kari and headed to the room without Madara, which in the elder man's opinion was better than being seen together and possibly reported to authorities… even if he had his mask on this whole time.

Kari then spoke, "Could I possibly stay with my family tonight? Even thought it's been a month I only got to see them, for not even a full day before I had to leave. Please?"

She looked up at him with puppy dog eyes and Madara smiled. She was so innocent even after she had joined a group of criminals and killed a man in his sleep. He internally shook his head and wondered why she was so trusting of the man who made her do all of this, but guessed it was because of her undying loyalty to him. So he nodded and said, "As long as you don't mention that I am here than it should be fine. I have things I need to discuss with Itachi-kun anyway." Which was the truth; there were certain things that Madara wanted to know and certain things he wanted to stay hidden.

Kari jumped and wrapped her arms around Madara's neck and kissed his mask before jumping off and saying, "Thank you Madara-sama!" She then sped into the baths, leaving a slightly shocked Madara standing in the hallway… he never expected her to kiss him over something so simple.

He shook his head and thought nothing of the kiss to the mask as he headed back to the room.

Kari also thought nothing of the kiss as she entered the waters that held her second family. She was glad she got to spend time with them again. When she walked in she said, "I'm able to stay."

They all smiled and Marie stated, "Then we need to add you to another of our shows."

"Really?" Kari said, even though it had only been a month before that she participated in the shows; she missed it.

They all nodded and Cristo said, "We'd be honored to have such a lovely young kunoichi join us for a show."

Kari smiled and said, "I'll be happy to oblige… but…" she looked down at the water, "I've been ordered to relax so my body can regenerate my blood back."

The group laughed and Haru said, "You always did push yourself beyond your limit. About time someone had the guts to actually make you rest," they all laughed and Kari was glad to be back with her family.

Kari smiled and said, "Well I'm sure as long as I don't use my kekkei genkai I should be okay to perform."

"That's right," Hake stated.

"Oh! I know," Rikard stated.

"What?" Kari asked as well as Ezekiel and Melina.

"We could have her dance tonight!" Rikard stated and was hit in the head by Josephine, "Hey what was that for?"

"She's only eleven Rikard!" Nam stated and gave her own whack to the back of Rikard's head.

"But Nave, Sandra, Melina, and Amice taught her how to do it! Why not put that skill to use?" Rikard stated.

The two who whacked him in the head both said, "You are too naïve to the ways of the world."

His head fell down, dejected and the gypsy tribe all laughed. Then Nave stated, "We could have her dance with us."

Nam and Josephine both looked at the dancer as if she was crazy and then Amice stated, "She is actually the same age as when we started dancing."

"It wouldn't be too much trouble to hide some skin and still keep with the fashion of the dance," Sandra stated.

"Her body is also a bit more womanly than an average eleven year old." Melina stated and it was settled; if all the dancers agreed then Kari would be dancing.

Kari laughed as she noticed Rikard's triumphant expression and said, "I'll have to see if it's okay with my companions but I think it should be fine." The group nodded and then Kari asked, "I'll need a little warm-up practice, so would it be alright if we meet a bit before the show starts if I'm given an okay?"

Hake nodded and said, "That shouldn't be a problem."

Kari smile and Haru said, "Hopefully you'll be able to come. We do enjoy your presence Kari."

Kari smiled and then got out of the waters and wrapped her robe around herself and left saying her goodbyes and hugs to those who wanted them. As she made her way to her room Koumori landed and said, "About time. I was getting bored."

Kari laughed and said, "You could've come in you know?"

"I know, but I felt that you needed alone time with your family." Koumori stated as Kari pet the mother bat's head.

"Thank you then Koumori." Kari stated as she walked into the room and saw that Madara and Itachi were having a bit of a glaring, staring contest. She quietly made her way to her bed and when she slipped under the covers she asked, "Koumori? Could you wake me before Madara-sama leaves? I want to ask him something about tomorrow."

Koumori nodded and said, "I'll be sure to."

Kari smiled and cast one last look at the powerful Uchiha Madara and smiled, as the one she gave her utmost loyalty to, was the last thing she saw before she fell asleep.

~oOo~

She woke up in the morning to discover that Itachi was still asleep but Madara was up and quietly sipping at some tea he had in his hands. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and noticed that Madara's gaze was on her. She smiled at him and said, "Good morning Madara-sama."

He nodded and said, "Koumori tells me you have to ask me something?"

Kari nodded and got on her knees and asked, "Could I participate in dancing with my tribe tonight please?"

Madara shrugged and said; "As long as you don't use your kekkei genkai than it should be just fine." he took another sip of his tea.

Kari smiled and said, "Thank you Madara-sama." she then turned to Koumori who was waking up as well, "Could you tell them I'll be there as soon as their ready for me?"

Koumori yawned and said, "I visited them this morning and they said they're ready as long as you're awake."

Kari smiled and then turned to Madara and said, "I'll be off then Madara-sama." the man nodded and she went behind a shoji that was in their room and changed into a simple pair of black pants and a somewhat loose shirt. She quickly bowed once and left the room with Koumori leading the way to their room.

~oOo~

"Madara-sama? What are we doing here?" Itachi whispered to Madara as they sat down in the middle of growing audience.

The man smiled and said, "Kari-chan is performing, and it's been a while since I saw her do so. I also want to make sure she hasn't disobeyed me in anyway."

Itachi nodded and left it alone. Itachi didn't want to admit it but he was a bit agitated at loosing to Madara so many times in practice that he was glad he was getting a break from that night's practice, but he wouldn't let Madara know that. Soon the light's died down a bit and soon Madara recognized as Hake came onto the stage and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls! Tonight we have a wonderful show for you. We have animal tamers, dancers, taletellers, and even a fire breather or two. Also after each act we will be accepting donations and you can donate by waiting till one of these lovely young people come by," he motioned over to the side of the stage to three people around the same age, two girls and a boy, as they smiled and waved.

Hake then bowed and said, "Then, without further ado I present to you our performance."

The lights went out again and Cristo was the first on stage lying across the back of a tiger. Kari looked from back stage and felt ready to go onstage… until she saw Itachi and Madara in the crowd. She then felt inadequate and wished she never had offered to dance. Melina, noticing Kari's now jittering nerves put a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Everything's fine Kari. You didn't even need to practice this morning you knew the dances so well."

Kari looked back at the woman and asked, "Really?"

Melina nodded and said, "You're nervous because your companions are out there aren't they," when Kari nodded Melina smiled and said, "Don't be. You'll do wonderful and you won't even see them the way the light hits us."

Kari smiled and looked down at her outfit and was glad that her abdomen and legs were covered by a light material instead of being bare or only being covered by a skirt or she would be even more nervous. Melina led Kari over to the rest of the dancers and said, "Our little gypsy dancer here is getting butterflies."

Amice smiled and held out her arms which Kari moved into before being enclosed in a hug, "You'll do fine dear. Nothing to worry about."

Nave nodded and said, "If we say you can than you can."

"Would we lie to Kari?" Sandra stated.

Kari shook her and was glad that she had such support. Kari then got out of Amice's hug and said, "Thank you everyone. I feel better now." They all smiled and then looked out when Marie's turn was to spin her tales.

As Marie went onto the stage she stated, "I'm a tale-weaver. I make it so that you actually experience the stories I tell. Shall I continue?"

There was a bit of clapping for her to continue before it became quiet again and Marie took a deep breath and started her tale of how the moon came to be. Kari had heard this tale so many times that she had it memorized but only Marie could make it seem new each time. Even Madara's story, which was a less detailed version of Marie's tale, didn't inspire such feelings in her as Marie did with her stories, but they had to be witnessed to have the same effect.

"Every night was dark. Not even flame would pierce the darkness of the world, but a few steps ahead. It was also a time for demons to roam the Earth, but one demon in particular caused most horrible destruction. He nearly ended the world." The room then went dark and screams were heard all around and the sound of destruction also sounded. Then a monstrous form appeared behind Marie and she disappeared as if she were made of wind, "The Ten Tails."

The beast opened its one eye and stared at the crowd with a red-hot intensity. Some in the crowd screamed but none could move as the beasts tail blew in the breeze. "The beast nearly destroyed the world until one man stood before the beast and battled it." there was a man who walked up to the beast and looked up at it, and then attacked the beast, a great battle broke out and the story continued, "That man was the Sage of the Six Paths and the battle raged on for a very long time." The battle kept raging as the night turned to day, seasons changed, even the land itself changed from the battle. "Though eventually when both the beast and the Sage were almost spent, the sage sealed away the beast inside himself to protect the world." and so the sage in the illusion did the same.

"The man was praised as a god and savior of this world, but he had to find a way to seal the beast even after her died." the sage was shown to get older and older, and then, "When on his death bed he summoned all his power and spilt the monster's power into nine separate parts, scattering them across the world, and as for the ten tails' body…" the beast then turned in on itself and burst into the sky turning into the moon, "The Sage sealed the body to the sky, creating the moon." The moon shown brightly in the sky and the sage finally took his last breath. "and due to his noble sacrifice, our world became safe and the night became bright, as a reminder to show the power of the ten tails, who's body could light up the night when even fire could." and then the scene ended and Marie was back on stage with a shocked crowd.

Kari smiled and started the clapping that soon ensued. Marie bowed and then headed back stage to be replaced by Hake, "Wasn't that a lovely display? Well to calm everyone down we now have our lovely dancers to take the stage." Hake extended his arm as the gypsy dancers came out and then followed by Kari. Hake left the stage and Kari really couldn't see into the audience, which made things much easier. They got into starting position and then when the music began they were off into graceful movements across the stage.

Kari eventually worked out her remaining nerves by working her body through dance and soon she heard the last note and slid her foot to a stop perfectly in position, just as the rest of the dancers. Clapping then ensued and the women bowed and hurried off the stage as Hake replaced them to say his goodbyes.

The dancers all hugged Kari and said she did wonderful her first time, that they were so proud, and she was free to do it anytime. Kari smiled and started to cry a bit from the joy of it but quickly abashed her tears and left the stage with her family to go to the baths. This bath wasn't in the unisex baths because this time they actually wanted to clean themselves and they wouldn't fool around too much if they were all in one big group. However, after they were done, Kari slipped into a robe and back into her room after some goodbyes because she was exhausted.

She noticed that the room was empty but she couldn't care less as she got into bed and instantly fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N:**_** I realized something that made me sad…. Deidara doesn't join until he is 14 … And he is 2 years younger than both Itachi and Kari so he can't join till I get them to be 16.… and Hidan joins after that so I can't have all of the Akatsuki I want in until Kari is at least 17 and that's around the time Naruto plotline starts. T-T I guess there's going to be a couple of time breaks soon. Hehe well sorry this took so long but the end of my senior year in high school is being a little bitch. **

**Oh and just incase this was never mentioned… the Akatsuki have their cloud cloaks…. I don't think I ever mentioned it, but if I did please tell me and if not, please do the same so I can be sure I have it mentioned somewhere else. **

**Oh and as to the reviews I don't know who I responded to or not, bt thanks for all and OH! You won't get to find out what Madara thought about Kari's dancing until later.**

"_But you know… human beings are delicate creatures. The slightest bump and we expire_"

- _Agent Lang from Milles Edgeworth Ace Attorney Investigations_

~oOo~

Kari was startled to see Madara and Itachi standing guard by her door, kunai drawn and Sharingan exposed. Kari quickly grabbed a kunai from the pouch next to her bed and asked, "What's going on Madara-sama?"

Said man looked at her and said, "It seems people want you."

Kari looked at him with a raised brow and asked, "Why?"

"It seems we're about to find out," Itachi stated with a glance to Madara, and in a split second both Uchiha were crouched in front of Kari and the door panel fell forward as a plethora masked shinobi entered the room.

No one moved for about a couple of seconds until the shinobi in front demanded, "Give us the girl."

Kari growled and all of the shinobi looked at her, and the people drew back. She smirked as she got to all fours, bending her legs so she wasn't sticking her bottom in the air. Madara looked at the young girl with a hidden raised brow but he heard from caught whispers that Kari was going to use her kekkei genkai. Koumori then appeared and wrapped her wings around the girl's back saying, "I wish you would reconsider Kari. You are recovering."

Kari shook her head and asked, "May I demonstrate my skill I've been draining myself over sir?" Kari looked at Madara who nodded and stepped aside, Itachi following step right after. Kari smiled in a feral manner, her inner beast wanting to be let out after all this time, "Ready Koumori?" The bat bit the girl in response only a wince was heard from her. Soon Kari's kekkei genkai over took her entire eye and her chakra wrapped around her body, covering all in its wake, and Koumori seemed to expand over Kari and fuse with the young girl.

The enemy shinobi stepped back and fled but Kari's beast didn't want them to. She followed them with her skin reforming and a membrane was attaching her arm to her side, forming bat like wings. Her fingers extended as did her face, all her features were becoming bat like and soon she was a werebat; a perfect combination of the two species. Kari let out a supersonic screech on the direction of her new prey and several fell to the ground, stunned from the shock. However, Kari still chased her fleeing prey until they stopped some ways away from the hotel and when she landed in the center of a large training field she found herself surrounded and her instinctual beast took over completely. She growled at being cornered and she really didn't like the feeling; she wanted out. They moved closer and she crouched in on herself more.

As soon as they were only a little space away from her, Kari jumped into the air, flapped her new wings, and screeched at the remaining shinobi. Kari let out a screech and landed on the ground to inspect her victims. She was about to fly away to a nice dark cave, but she felt two more presences walking towards her. She growled and went on the defensive again and she spotted two familiar faces, but couldn't tell if they were familiar if they were friends or foe. She snarled once more at them, but they remained unfazed.

Kari started to back away and just as she was about to fly in the air to get away the one in the mask grabbed her and hit a soft spot on her neck, causing instant unconsciousness. Immediately Koumori defused from Kari and the girl fell into Madara's arms.

Koumori looked at the girl and shook her head saying, "I knew she wasn't ready for it yet. She hasn't even found out her animal!"

Madara looked at the bat and asked, intrigued, "What would happen if she did find out her animal."

"For one her powers would be officially matured and two she would have more control over her animal instincts." Koumori said, "But this requires the animal she fuses with to take quite a bit of blood and from the looks of things I was glad she was mostly recovered or this battle may have killed her."

Madara nodded and then moved Kari so he was carrying her bridal style. Itachi walked over to the trio and asked, "Madara-sama, I suggest we get back before we cause any more suspicion."

Madara nodded and said, "You are right. Koumori," the bat turned her attention to him, "take her back to head quarters. I don't want anymore people trying to take her, and Ame is always the safest place to hide something."

Koumori nodded and expanded to her complete size, "You're lucky it's still somewhat dark or I'd have to fly too high." Koumori used her teeth to pick up the young girl and placed Kari safely upon her back. Koumori then sighed and said, "I'll be sure she heals soon too so she can start training again quickly." With a stroke of her wings, Koumori was in the air leaving the two Uchiha alone.

Itachi turned to Madara and asked, "Is her clan weak Madara-sama? Those people they sent after her could easily be taken care of by the lowest of Genin. And Kari didn't kill the ones she attacked."

Madara thought about it for a minute but didn't know, but didn't want the protégé next to him to know that fact, "I suppose those without the kekkei genkai are weak, and those with have to be in full control of their powers." Madara headed back in the direction of their room and thought he'd have to talk to Haru before the gypsy tribe left.

First, he would have to kill all of Kari's victims.

~oOo~

Kari awoke to see that she was back at the Akatsuki base and that her back killed her from Koumori's bite. Kari knew that from the pain she was feeling, her animal instincts got the better of her, causing more blood to be taken. Kari flopped back down on the bed and she knew that Koumori was concerned so much over her safety that her bat mother was mostly not going to show up due to anger. Madara also probably thought that Itachi was more important right now than taking care of a weak young girl. Kari curled into a ball and wondered if she wasn't able to summon the Demon King if he would even bother keeping her alive. Kari shivered at the thought of disappointing him, but the 'what ifs' in life always made her depressed.

Kari didn't know how but her mind came to the subject as to how long she had been unconscious. She got up slowly, looked into the mirror, and noticed that her kekkei genkai was gone from her eyes, which meant she was most likely under for at most three days… Kari wondered if Madara and Itachi were back yet. Didn't Madara say at dinner that Itachi was in ANBU? How long before they got suspicious.

Kari shrugged and was about to leave her room, but her door opened and she nearly fell into Kisame's chest. She glared up at him and he only smirked saying, "I see you're finally ready to train again."

Kari sighed and said, "Lead the way Kisame-san."

Kisame laughed and slapped the girl on the back, lightly mind, but it still hurt enough for her to wince. Kisame, curious asked, "What do you have on your back Kari-chan?"

Kari looked up at him and shrugged, trying to make no big deal of it, "Just over did a technique I've been trying to be perfecting." Kisame raised a brow and she sighed, "I had to have Koumori bite me so we could fuse."

Kisame nodded and said, "Kind of like Samehada and I. If you ever see me in that form, you know I'm dead serious."

Kari let a small shiver overtake her and asked, "So onto training Kisame-san?" The blue man nodded and they walked off to their training for the day.

Nevertheless, as they were about to leave Sasori stopped her in the hallway and said, "I need to see your back Kari-chan."

Kari nodded and lifted up the back of her shirt to reveal the wound. Kisame whistled and let out a chuckle saying, "That bat sure did a number on you." Kari shrugged and felt soothed when Sasori rubbed the ointment onto her wound. She was glad that she wasn't on the puppet's bad side or he would make it ten times worse.

When he was done he said, "It should be dry."

"Thank you Sasori-san." she said lowering down her shirt. The male nodded and then headed off to work on his puppets.

Kisame and Kari were only stopped once more and that was to direct Ri where he could possibly find Kakuzu, but they gave him an answer he already checked and headed off a bit dejected. Kisame smirked and said, "It seems that no one wants us to get you trained."

Kari smiled and said, "We are almost there." Kari couldn't feel her back at this point so she was feeling a bit more chipper.

Kisame nodded and said, "Glad to see you have your priorities straight." and he chuckled along with Kari.

Once they got to the field, Kari immediately took up her defensive pose and dashed away right in time to be only slightly knocked by Samehada.

She winced when she landed but ignored it, drew out a couple of kunai, and threw it at the man, only to have them blocked. Kari dashed at him, weaving speedy hand signs, and just as she was about to touch him, like he anticipated she dashed in between his legs and went to slice him with a kunai, but her hand was caught by Samehada and she jumped back, cradling her injured hand to her chest.

He kekkei genkai was activated to make sure her blood clotted properly and reproduced enough, but the pain was still there due to having her hand nearly shredded to the bone. She made sure that she had jumped far enough away to mend her hand with a rip of her shirt, but as soon as she was done he kicked her to the side and said, "Healing wounds properly is for after the battle.

She spit out a small bit of blood and made the final seal she didn't before and she shot him with a supersonic air ball which he dodged easily enough, but what he didn't expect was for her to follow after it and send a blow to his face which made him stagger back a bit before he grabbed her wrist and held Samehada to her throat. He smirked, but raised a brow when she did the same, and impaled herself on the blade. Smoke clouded his vision as he mentally cursed himself for falling for such a trick and saw that Kari was now standing a few paces away from him with a properly covered hand.

He smirked and chuckled saying, "Well played Kari-chan."

Kari smiled he raised a brow as he saw a bomb tag near his foot. When did she put that there? He jumped back just in time to dodge, but he dodged towards her, which surprised her so that she was frozen for a second. However, that second was all he needed to insure his win and he grabbed the back of her neck and held it a finger's length from the blade. He smirked and said, "You're learning Kari-chan, but you still have a ways to beat me."

She sighed and noticed that Ri had entered the room. She waved to him and asked, "Did you find Kakuzu-san?"

Ri shook his head and replied, "But as I was walking by I noticed that you were doing excellent Kari-chan."

Kari was about to be proud for herself, but as Kisame let her go her ruffled her hair and said, "But not good enough Kari-chan."

She pouted and glared at him saying, "Well you've had years more practice than me Kisame-san."

He chuckled and turned to Ri saying, "I'll go look for Kakuzu-san, you just take Kari-chan here to the kitchen before she faints from three days hunger."

Kari's stomach then growled and she blushed as the two men smiled at her. Kisame left and Ri extended his hand, she took it, and they walked to the kitchen.

She sat down in one of the chairs as Ri made her a meal and tilted her head to the side and stared at him and wondered exactly why he was recruited. Sure, she had trained with him before, but it wasn't much to reveal his powers. She was curious and heard Ri chuckle. She raised a brow as he sat down, placed a bowl of some mysterious concoction, and asked, "What do you want to ask me?"

She widened her eyes and asked, "How did you know that?"

He chuckled again and said, "I'm an empath as well as a sympath so I was able to read and feel your curiosity."

"Is that why you were being recruited by the Akatsuki?" Kari stated more for herself. It would make sense to have a member like Ri to be Kakuzu's partner.

"Yes and for the fact that I can also influence a person's feelings, like so," Ri said and put his hand to his chin and Kari felt really happy, and then with a twitch of his finger she felt deathly depressed and then when he removed his hand she was back to her confused state.

"Well that would be useful." Kari said thinking of Kakuzu's situation.

Ri nodded and said, "I was able to tell when Kakuzu attacked me for the first time ahead of when he actually did because of it. I can also make a person tired when they're full of energy or full of energy when they should be tired. Saves me in plenty of battles over the years."

Kari nodded and took a bite of her food and widened her eyes at how good it tasted. She looked back up at him and asked, "What is this?" she stuffed more into her mouth.

Ri laughed and said, "It's something I had as a child. Kakuzu requires I make it for him a lot because of how little it costs and how much it can replenish your energy. Should I teach it to you?"

Kari nodded, not letting the food leave her lips causing Ri to laugh again."

When she was done, she felt sleepy and noticed that Ri had his hand on his chin again, "No fair Ri-san."

Ri shook his head and said, "I'm to make sure you recover before you go on your next mission, and Kisame is to make sure you are still on top of your game."

Kari yawned and got up from her chair and asked, "How long do you plan to hold your chin?"

"Oh if I keep it there for about a minute I can keep you feeling like this for as long as I see fit, or until you body actually believes what it's feeling." Ri stated.

Kari's eyes couldn't stay open any longer and she fell into Ri as he carried her back to her room and made her rest for the upcoming days.

~oOo~

The next week was just a blur of sleep, training with both Konan and Kisame and she was getting better. She didn't know if it was because she was approaching the time where her powers were maturing or from constant training and plenty of rest, but she was beginning to feel happier. Her doubts about her powers brought on by Itachi were quickly disappearing. Though she did wonder why Madara found him to be so special she had no doubt that she was still special to Madara's plans.

Though after a month of training and sleeping Kari was finally given a mission by Pein and Kari realized that she could prove herself to Madara even more, further pushing Itachi to the back of her mind. Though she didn't like what she had to do on this mission, she had another assassination and this time it was to be just her. She packed her things and slipped on her Akatsuki cloak she had received during her first weeks in the Akatsuki and realized she needed it to be enlarged; she had been going through a growth spurt.

When Kari finally deemed herself ready she exited her room and secured on her kasa with the cloth pieces to secure her identity. She moved through the empty streets of Ame and wondered just what she would look like if someone would exit their houses… she wondered though why the streets were emptied even more… they were never empty. Maybe a holiday?

That had to be it because Pein and Konan made it a habit not to let her out into the streets if something dangerous was to occur.

However, she was soon walking the path and was heading to Cha no Kuni. She had no idea why this person defected from the power of Akatsuki, but she being forced to deal with him, and his followers… she didn't know if she could take his followers, but the leader was just a figurehead that had a lot of charisma. Though according to Zetsu's reports there was a tournament that was occurring and all of is followers would be involved… maybe if she could take them on one-on-one, she could beat them.

She had also been trained by Sasori when Kisame was a little late on how poisons work, so she could make sure that it made it seem like they died from complications after the battle. It would be better if it was a fight to the death, then she could easily use some poison she had acquired from the puppet man.

She shivered and felt as if someone was watching her… she couldn't feel Zetsu, but she wasn't trying. She widened her range of sensing and noticed that his faint bloody earth scent was just inside of her range. She smiled and was glad her partner was nearby, but she couldn't relax. This was a test and one she would pass without any help.

Though looking at the sky she realized that she would have to set up camp soon. She looked around and noticed that she was near an Akatsuki base. It wasn't in use but she could use it. That and she could get a safe rest because no one knew where it was.

Kari quickly made it through the space and then stood in front of the giant rock and was relieved it opened when she made the right hand seals; she almost thought that she forgotten the order.

She stepped inside and as soon as it shut behind her, lights on the large open cavern's walls opened up and she took a deep breath of the stale air. She shook her head when she realized that no one had used this one in a long while but she didn't care. It gave her a place to rest. Koumori then appeared and said, "Finally! A place I can rest away from home!"

Kari laughed and said, "I'm pretty sure I'll have to go and find some food, but I have my rations with me. Will you be okay for food Koumori?"

Just then a moth flew towards one of the torches and the bat smirked saying, "I'm sure." and she fly after the insect.

Kari shook her head and moved further in to where a secret tunnel opened to under the cavern. She traveled down and even further back from the entrance and was glad when Pein had told her about this place. She didn't think she would want to spend the night on a cold stone floor.

When she reached the first door, she entered and noticed, besides a bed, the room was empty. She didn't care either way, but wished that she could have a bit more to do here. She didn't want to get bored but she had traveled quite a bit that day without even realizing it and would need to rest or she would be too exhausted for the tournament.

She fell back onto the bed and looked as the ceiling as she pulled her sleeves of her cloak… it still fit but it was getting a little too short. Soon Koumori entered her room and asked, "Do you want me to stick to the front cavern?"

Kari nodded and said, "That would be very much appreciated."

Koumori laughed and said, "You just don't want to stay alert."

Kari laughed and then bat flew back to where her food source was as Kari pulled out a plum. After she was done with that, she fell back on the bed and sneezed as some dust flew into her nose. She then fell asleep after she beat the bed a bit and didn't wake up until her Koumori told her it was morning.

~oOo~

Kari arrived in the town she was supposed to after three days, two of which were on a boat that was waiting for a storm to pass. She was glad she got the chance to go on a boat, but she wished the storm hadn't affected her way because she was one more day short on her food money, and that just made her wish to win this tournament even stronger; she would definitely have Alum fly her back home.

Though one thing about getting the boat was that she got to hide her Akatsuki uniform and that meant that she was cooler under the beating sun and she could be more incognito… especially since she didn't have anything to indicate her as a ninja. This also caused the person she signed up with look at her strangely that a young girl would join a fight to the death.

Koumori clung onto her shoulder the whole time they waited in the waiting room and she would talk to the bat in the language of bats. Kari was glad for her kekkei genkai or this would never be possible. Kari was given strange looks from more of the stronger looking men, but she didn't care because she had acquired her targets and noticed they were all standing in one group. It wasn't long until each of them were called out with an opponent and came back, missing their opponent. Kari was a little nervous, but she kept her mask of no emotion up, which unsettled all who looked her way as the day wore on.

Finally the last battle of the day was about to take place and Kari took her place on the field. Kari secured her shoulder length hair, in a horsetail and Koumori flew to hang from her main targets booth. The man was about to complain, but one emotionless look from Kari shut him up and let the bat stay.

Kari looked at her opponent and noticed that he was huge and the biggest of her traitorous group… they really wanted her out of the completion early.

He laughed and said, "Couldn't have given me a stronger opponent to fight? What are you doing here little girl? If you're trying to prove you're not a little girl then I have to say you're going to die." Kari didn't answer, just kept her face blank, which seemed to anger the man more, "Say something!"

Kari didn't as she took up her first stance and he laughed, "You think you can fight me? I'll have you know this won't take even more than a second."

The bell rang and the man charged at her and she smirked as she charged him as well. He was caught off guard at the strength of her punch, and so was Kari as he hit the back wall and slumped to the ground. How hard had she been training lately?

The man growled and got back up saying, "Little girls shouldn't be that strong."

"You can never underestimate your opponent." Kari heard Koumori screech in her tongue and Kari smirked as she ran at the man with increased speed and kicked him to the other wall.

The crowd went silent as the man hit his head and didn't get back up. Kari put on a blank face and held her arm up for Koumori, but on the inside, she was panicking. She hadn't meant to kill him, but hadn't this been a fight to the death? She also didn't know that it would be so easy. Was this group just a bunch of civilians? She thought they were shinobi and all the shinobi she faced were those in the Akatsuki and she could never beat them. Just what kind of assignment was this?

She was announced the victor, and was relieved to hear that his death had been instantaneous, but she still killed him all too easily… maybe the rest were shinobi, and they wouldn't underestimate her… maybe that's why he had been so easy… yeah that had to be it.

Then she remembered as she rented a hotel room and laid in her bed, she was doing this for Madara's plan. She did it for Madara and that's all that should matter… right? She went to sleep with a lot on her mind, but she was aware making sure she couldn't be taken away from her duty to Madara.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N**_**: Well I'm sorry these chapters come out later and later but the ideas are too many for one scene and when I pick on it doesn't sound right and when I write another one it sounds too boring so after many rewrites and many busy summer days I finally give this chapter to you… and sorry it isn't as long as the others but if I would've added more it wouldn't have been good.**

_"Would you serve in Heaven, or rule in Hell?"_

_- Abbadon, Darksiders_

Kari was breathing hard when facing her last opponent until the final battle and she was glad to say that this man was fighting her was a shinobi and not a strong civilian. Kari straightened her back and braced herself for another weapon lock with the taller shinobi. When he hit she noticed that he seemed to be slowing. She was glad that she had trained the way she had in the Akatsuki or she would be in the same situation as her opponent.

The man was just as silent as she was, but the crowd was making up for their lack of sound. Kari wished that this was easier, but she highly doubted even if he grew tired that she would have an easy time beating him; she was starting to get tired. Then when they separated again Kari made a few had quick hands signs while she reached into a back pouch and she hoped it would work. She jumped back and threw a kunai at him, which he easily dodged and then used quite a bit of her remaining chakra and breathed out her supersonic screech and she made sure it only hit him, and hit it did; she was proclaimed the victor.

Kari finally fell back to the ground and let all of the past three days of battles catch up to her. She was exhausted and on the second and third say they seemed to push every opponent on her as they could, but she won. Koumori landed next to her and spoke in her own language, "We need to get out of here. Tomorrow you have to go against the man over there."

Kari looked over at her last opponent and realized he didn't seem like anything much, but his chakra signal was humongous. Kari's eyes widened and also spoke in the bat's language, "I don't think I can beat him."

"Well you can try. Do you think you can walk." Kari shook her head and Koumori continued, "I guess I can fly you since there is no ceiling." she then expanded her size so she could carry Kari, "Climb on." the crowd gasped.

Kari struggled to stand up again, but did anyway and climbed onto the bat's back before said bat fly into the air and to the hotel into which she was staying. Kari climbed into her window, and crawled into her bed while Koumori shrunk and flew in with her.

Kari couldn't fall asleep right away so she thought about the tournament. Even though it was a fight to the death, there was a rule that a competitor could surrender and admit defeat, which happened with all of the traitor's group she didn't have to fight. Of coarse they want to show each other their strength, so there was always a fight, but that just meant that Kari had five to seven more people she had to take care of after this tournament and she didn't think she could handle them all on her own… maybe with Koumori's help she could. Only time would tell, but she wished that it would decide quickly because she was tired of it all.

~oOo~

Kari woke up from sleep, she didn't even know when she did, by Koumori licking her face and saying, "You have a guest coming up to see you." she looked around and noticed that not much time has past since she had entered the room and she was still presentable. Kari stood up and walked to the door.

When she heard the shuffling of covered feet at the door she asked, "Who's there?" She was tired so there was only that in her voice.

"I am sorry to disturb you but I am Rubin Li, the overseer of this competition. May I have a word?" Kari's eyes widened that the head of the traitor group was outside of her door.

Kari recovered herself quickly as possible and asked, "You may, but I'm sorry I can't let you in my room."

"And why not?" the man sounded offended.

"Because it's not proper." Kari stated as if it was everyday information, which to her it was.

The man was silent but soon he started laughing and said, "You are right. I am terribly sorry. Then could I offer to take you someplace more public? I would really like to speak with you face to face."

Kari looked over to Koumori, who did her best shrug and said in bat speak, "I don't see a problem in it."

Kari nodded and then opened the door to reveal the tall, wide, balding man who was smiling down at the young summoness… not that he knew of her powers since she had yet to use them once during her fights. He then said, "Where would you like to go?"

Kari shrugged and when she rested her shoulders Koumori flew on her should and said in a language Li could understand, which surprised the man, "She doesn't know the area so you should pick", which was a lie. Kari had memorized the town's layout as best she could in case of emergency.

The man smiled warily and said, "Well then follow me." Kari nodded and followed a foot behind the male, a sign of respect and caution, and when he looked back he said, "Why aren't you the most proper young girl I've laid my eyes on."

Kari stopped and bowed and said, "Thank you Rubin-sama." Kari was glad she could keep her disgust, at adding the sama to his family name, hidden.

The man chuckled and said, "No need for that Kari-chan. From what I've seen you do on the competition field you have the right to call me Li-san."

Still in her bow she said, "Thank you Li-san." and then rose and continued to follow him, and from the looks of things he was going to be taking her to a high class restaurant nearby. Kari didn't like the choice because of the hidden connotations behind such a public meeting that could possibly spread, and Kari didn't want her name associated with being a traitor's child toy.

When they got to the restaurant, though, Kari was fascinated by the rich look of it all. Most of it looked as if it was made of precious jewels and gold and it just screamed expensive, and Kari never thought she'd ever see such a thing again in her life. The young girl didn't even notice until she was sitting down that everyone was casting sideways glances over at her and she started to feel self conscious for not having finer clothes to wear.

The only things that were comforting now was the promise of good food, and the presence of Koumori and the distant one of Zetsu. Though the latter was more wishful since she missed her partner, and it was strange and saddening not to see him everyday. When their menus came with the waiter he asked what they wanted and Li ordered some expensive sounding sake, and when the waiter turned his attention to Kari she said, "May I just have a water please?"

The waiter seemed shocked at he small show of etiquette in the way she spoke and appeared, but nodded and hurried away to get their drinks. "You know I am paying for all of this so you can just get what you want." Li stated with approval at her not embarrassing him, which angered Kari to no end.

"That is very kind of you but I don't want to over extend your…" she paused for a second to try and think of a smart sounding word, which ruined the effect of her words a little, and when she couldn't think of a word she went with her first thought, "kindness."

He nodded, not even noticing her mishap, and if he did he was internally making fun of her for being just a child, which was actually beneficial to her. If Li thought that Kari was still a child mentally, no matter her strength, he would underestimate her… she just hope she could meet up to her own expectations and trick him or expose him in some way he wouldn't notice. In fact it seemed that all of the occupants that were looking at her with disco tempt were now back to their own topics or complementing her over her polite behavior.

The waiter was back and smiled at the girl when he handed her the water and said, "Have you decided what you wanted or should I give you some more time?"

"Well since I'm sure my guest here doesn't know what most of this is, I'm sure she wouldn't mind me picking for us both?" he looked over at Kari who let her blush, from her anger, show, but put on a coy face as best she could and nodded. The man chuckled and said, "Then we'll have the blowfish with the side of sashimi, and we'll have the blue lobster with shrimp curry."

The waiter bowed and then left saying, "It should be out soon."

Kari let her blush leave her face and asked, "Um… why did you call me out Li-san?"

Li nodded and his face grew on a politician's smile, "Well I want to make a deal with you."

"What kind of a deal?" Kari asked, her air of innocence, hopefully showing.

"A deal that would be beneficial to us both." He took a sip of his sake and Kari noticed that Koumori had resettled on her shoulder and she inwardly smirked. He reached across the table and said, "If you were to join my group you would get a family unit, happiness, riches beyond your belief, and" he smiled in a joking manner, "dinner's like this every night. And I would get a new addition to my group to replace the ones you mistakenly killed, a person to carry on my name and a new daughter."

Kari bit her lip in thought to hide her disgust of having to think that Li had wanted her to call him a father. She already had three and she didn't need a fourth who was against her beliefs. She smiled kindly and said, "I'm sorry about your men but they didn't give up."

Li nodded and withdrew her hand and said, "Well I'm sure that they wouldn't have given up even if you gave them a chance." he then smiled widely and said, "So do we have a deal?"

Kari looked off to the side and said shyly, "I have to think about making such a big change… but I'm sure I'll agree."

He nodded and said, "That sounds reasonable enough." and then the food came. They were silent… well Kari was silent, Li was mostly silent besides his disgusting way of eating. When Kari gave Koumori her last bite of shrimp curry Li had let out a breath that smelled horrible and said, "My compliments to the chef. Now Kari have you made a decision?"

Kari nodded and smiled as brightly and convincingly as she could, "You have a deal. Now what do I have to do?"

Li nodded and looked like he had won the competition already, "All you have to do is make sure that you don't kill your next opponent. He's my right hand man and part of the family."

Kari nodded and then said to Koumori, "Could you go back to the room and check for any surprises? And be sure to go on with our plan."

Koumori nodded and said, "Make sure to be safe on your way back, and take the public streets, not short cuts." Kari nodded and the female bat flew out the door, frightening a couple that was exiting.

"What did you say to your bat?" Li asked curious, but slightly suspicious.

Kari smiled as innocently as she could, "I told her to go hunt. I'm sure the few bites of food I gave her won't fill her up."

Li's suspicion disappeared and said, "That's good. I don't think it would be right to starve your pet."

Kari shook her head and said, "Koumori's family to me. She's been with me since I was young and she has protected ever since."

Li nodded and then stood up and said, "Shall we then?" Kari nodded and then left with said man, who escorted her back to her hotel and Kari passed out as soon as she hit the bed… she was surprised that she kept awake this long.

~oOo~

Kari woke up in the morning stiff, sore, and sick. The food last night had been good, but it was nothing compared to what she ate with the gypsy group. Kari quickly emptied her stomach and ate something small so she wouldn't be sick again and so she would replace some of her energy. Koumori landed next to her and asked, "Should I participate in this event today?"

Kari nodded, "I need you to be there if I show any sign of losing." Kari did some stretching and moaned, "Why do I have to be up right now! I'm tired and I'm disgusted over this man, and I want to finish this mission as soon as possible."

Koumori laughed and said, "Well I could see what I can do to make this faster."

"Well did you do what I asked you last night?" Kari asked almost excited.

Koumori nodded and said with a batty smirk, "I made sure they all took the medicine."

Kari smiled and pet Koumori between her shoulder blades, "You just made this day a whole lot easier."

"Well I don't like that man either. He thinks that he can try and use you. No one's going to use my pup in such a way." Koumori said as she flew to the windows ledge.

"I'll get changed and then we'll go." Kari stated as she searched for another, fresher training outfit to wear.

Koumori nodded and snatched up an unlucky bug that flew just outside the window.

~oOo~

Kari was thrown against a wall as groaned as she made impact. Apparently Li hadn't told his minion that they were on the same side now, and Kari didn't feel like telling him. The summoness also didn't feel like asking for Koumori's help because the man in front of her, and the rest of his group seemed to be displaying the symptoms of the poison that Koumori had helped put into their food and drink. Though they were ignoring their own feeling because it wasn't noticeable unless you knew what to look for, and Kari had Sasori for his little poison invention.

Though, since the one she was fighting was doing a lot more moving and using a lot more chakra than the others his symptoms were getting worse and worse as time went on. Kari quickly dodged a kunai and threw one of her own, which cut the mans arm just enough to break the surface as he dodged.

Kari smiled at his slowed movement and finally thought it was time to quicken the process, but first she would have to wait for the break time. Kari had to admit that she didn't know about this until that day because of how long she was battling this person. If she would've fought a little while longer with her other opponents then she would've discovered it, but it still worked in her favor.

The bell rang as soon as they were going to lock weapons and they stopped in their tracks and headed for their spots. Koumori had flown over and Kari caught the water bottle that the bat dropped. Kari didn't know how much more beating she could take. This man didn't have much strength, but when he added his massive chakra to his punches she was sure to be purple by the end of the day.

Koumori nipped at her arm and Kari looked over and the former said, "The boss man should be following shortly after his right hand man there."

Kari nodded and said, "Well then would you please help me with this next break. I want to be sure to save my energy for the rest of the group. I'm sure even with them slowly dying, I won't be able to take them all on. I may not even have enough chakra to summon anyone if I had the chance."

Koumori nodded and said, "I'll be sure to make sure we get out of here before that happens."

Kari smiled and rubbed noses affectionately with the bat before she felt Li's presence coming closer to her. She turned around and smiled saying with a slight bow of the head, "It's good to see you again Li-san." though from the look of discomfort on his face, she knew the poison was kicking in and soon…. Just how much did they put in their systems… and just how fast did it spread? "Is there something wrong?"

Li shook his head and said with a uncomfortable smile, "Nothing but some food that didn't agree with me from last night. Now I wanted to remind you not to kill him, and I'm here to remind him to keep you alive."

Kari nodded and said, "Well I'll be sure to remember that and thank you." Li began to walk away and she said, "I hope your tummy ache goes away." and he looked back with a smile before disappearing form her sight. Kari hid a smirk and said, "Well it's almost time for the bell to ring again. Please get ready Koumori."

The bat nodded and expanded her size to that of a large horse. The group that she was sent to kill then looked over in shock but the bell rang and Koumori flew into the air and Kari dashed at the man. The boss was quickly led away and just as Kari was about to hit her target he fell down and started to cough uncontrollably. Kari looked over him and checked him over as if she was really concerned, "Hey are you okay? What's wrong?"

The man looked up at her and said, "I feel like needles are running through my veins."

"Li-san! Something's wrong!" Kari called to the man and she looked genuinely concerned… she didn't know this was going to hurt the men so much.

Li called a timeout and his group ran over to him and they checked him out just as Li was falling to the poison's touch. Kari hopped on Koumori's back and they were unnoticed as they made vibrations in the air so that the bodies would move the poison faster. Kari was panicking a bit because she didn't want to see what was happening but as soon as the last man showed the first man's symptoms of falling to the ground Koumori lifted ten feet above them as they all began to cough up blood and it looked as if they had been attacked by Kari's shock wave filled with kunai. Soon they weren't moving and Kari was shaking, breathing heavily, and feeling sick.

Memories of her birth village came to mind and Kari was close to passing out until Koumori forced her way out of the stone arena and let the ceiling crush the bodies of their recent kill. Kari then shook her head and hugged herself close to the bat mother and kept repeating, "It's for peace."

Koumori looked at the arena and said, "Besides the group, everyone got out. No one is going to hurt our goal now. Kari please clam down."

Kari nodded but said, 'Please take me to my stuff and take me to Zetsu-san. I want to get home as soon as possible."

Koumori nodded and speedily flew to the hotel, got their things, and then flew to where her cloak was and Zetsu was waiting for them. Kari jumped off of Koumori and ran to hug the plant man who looked at the girl shocked. Kari held her tears in and Koumori smiled at the sight. The mother bat was glad that Kari had someone other than herself who Kari could run to, and so she draped her cloak over the girl's shoulders and said to Zetsu, "She saw something she didn't expect. Please take her back quickly." Koumori then sniffed the air and said, "And take her to Konan-san."

Zetsu looked at the bat with a bit confusion but nodded when he smelled what Koumori did. Kari looked back at Koumori and asked, "Why?"

Koumori shook her head and said, "It's better for a female of your species to explain it. I wouldn't know how it works." she then disappeared.

Zetsu pulled Kari in and said, "Hold on Kari-chan. **We'll get you back soon enough.**"

Kari nodded and huddled closer to her partner as the trap closed. Kari felt something in her lower stomach and it hurt. She felt as if she ate some bad food that was attacking her for it, and she just seemed to be more sensitive to everything.

Soon light came to her vision and when she stepped out, Konan was sitting there and nodded at the Zetsu saying, "Thank you Zetsu-san, you can leave now."

Zetsu nodded and said, "**Good luck Kari-chan.** We hope you feel better."

Kari looked confused and irritated at all the secrets until another wave of pain hit her lower stomach. Konan took her to the bathroom and sat her down on the toilet and said, after pulling out some pills, "Here Kari, this should make you feel a bit better… I don't want this thing to affect your emotions when I explain it to you."

Kari added fear to her expression and quickly swallowed the pills, and in five minutes the pains were gone and she felt as if she wet herself. Konan smiled pityingly and said, "Though it is a bit early, Kari-chan, you are taking one of the first steps into becoming a woman."

Kari looked at Konan as if she grew a third head and Konan shook her head and began to explain what she meant.

~oOo~

To say Kari was shocked at this information was an overstatement. Kari was surprised, sure, but living in a gypsy camp, with limited space, she was bound to hear about a period sooner or later. She was always curious about it and always wanted to be a woman, but knowing what it was and having it made her wish she didn't have it anymore. Along with pains and blood she had to deal with her emotions being on a roller coaster and her body changing in ways she didn't want. Though the fact that it was only once a month, and for a few days slackened the blow.

When Kari was given supplies to keep herself clean and some pills to get rid of pain and mood swings, and any other symptoms that came with the monthly period, Konan told her how to use some of them and let Kari have some privacy in the bathroom to clean herself. When she was done and clean, she was given some new undergarments and was soon on her way to report her success on her mission.

Though the mission did mentally pain her, she knew that she overreacted and wondered how she would act if the blasted monthly wasn't around to ruin her control.


	13. Chapter 13

"_If you feel pain, then you are alive. And if you're alive, then we all are"_

_- Riverworld_

Kari was glad when the blasted thing called her period was over. She just wished that she didn't have to go through it, but as Konan said, "It's every woman's curse to bear." She didn't want to bear it, and from what she found out, she had to bear it earlier than most.

"It's just so unfair!" she yelled into her pillow.

"What's unfair?" a voice questioned and nearly caused Kari to have a heart attack.

She blushed in embarrassment to see Madara sitting in his normal spot by her table, hoping he won't have her explain her last comment in detail; she didn't think she could even talk to another female about it. "Nothing, Madara-sama, I was just thinking out loud."

"Oh and about what?" Madara seemed to be honestly curious now.

"Nothing much," Kari looked away with a blush and continued, "Please don't make me explain it."

The ancient shinobi knitted his fingers together under his chin and rested his elbows on the table in front of him. "What is it?" Kari shivered at the ordering tone he only took with her on rare occasions. She blushed even more and mumbled the reason of her complain. Madara held a hand up to his ear and said, "I'm sorry. I couldn't hear that. Do you mind speaking a little louder?"

Kari's face was completely red now and it was spreading down her neck as she said, "Just loud enough for him to hear, "I got my period."

The silence that followed was anything but comfortable. It was finally broken when Madara coughed into his hand and said, "I'm sorry for forcing that out of you Kari-chan."

Kari nodded and then shook away her embarrassed expression glad that Madara actually apologized to her. She smiled as a sense of accomplishment over it spread through her body. She then stood up and smoothed out her outfit before bowing, "I'm sorry, but it's been five days since I've trained and I don't want to fall behind in my progress."

Madara nodded, "I'll help you train then."

Kari stared up at him in wide eyed shock, "What?"

Madara chuckled, "Is it so shocking that I am to train you?"

"Yes –I mean no- I mean it's just that- I mean-" Kari started but was cut off by another chuckle from Madara. She bowed even further and said, "I'm sorry Madara-sama."

"No need Kari-chan." The man stood ad started for the door; Kari followed obediently after him. They walked down the hall and she was surprised to see that none of the other Akatsuki met them in the building. She looked to Madara and wondered if she should ask about it… then again, they could all be out on missions of some kind. When they reached the training facility Kari noticed something different about the air… what was it? She looked around but nothing seemed wrong.

She was then flying across the room and hit a wall, hard. She gasped ad coughed as she landed and wondered what had hit her until she remembered why she was in this room in the first place. She quickly pulled out a kunai and flung it at Madara, but it passed right through him. Kari bit here lip in thought as she looked around the room for the shinobi she had entered with. He disappeared and that just showed Kari that she knew little about Madara. This was her first actual time fighting him, and she didn't want to disappoint.

Kari felt a presence behind her back and she quickly jumped out of the way to dodge Madara's attack, but she was hit nonetheless. She gasped as she slid across the floor after a hard hit. She jumped up and attacked Madara as best she could but she, or her justu, would either fly right through him, or he would dodge her completely. Finally through with her frustration, she immediately began singing to summon what ever summon that came to her mind first. She kept dodging as best she could, but kept on singing, or humming, even if she was hit, even if she tried to attack Madara with justu. Finally she let out the last note and with it she coughed up some blood and from that blood came forth smoke, which hid her beast. Kari was glad she was able to do it and quickly ran into the summon's smoked cloud. The only reason it stayed was because her summon willed it to as was it's ability and Kari felt Madara move into the cloud through her connection to her beast as she climbed on its back.

Soon, Madara came into view, but he didn't see them. He tried using his Sharingan, but the summon's cloud was apparently very good at masking chakra signals. He couldn't even see his own chakra in his body unless it was brought right to his face. Madara had to admit he was intrigued to see what kind of beast could possibly use this power and how he could use it in the future for his own benefit.

Just then he saw the smoked begin to move towards him and he jumped out of the way. At least he knew that he could block attacks of the invisible beast by following the smoke patterns, but that was also a risk. Since he hadn't enough time to study the movements he could be walking into a trap at any second.

Kari smiled as she saw that he had fallen for the bait, or that's what she believed. If her summon wanted it could keep the smoke from moving as it move within, but she didn't want to end her small victory just yet. Kari made some hand signs and placed a flattened palm on the back of her summon. It let out a small yip, but opened its large mouth and the smoke began to increase so as to fill the rest of the training area.

Kari thought it was about time to see if her plan would work so she made it so some of the smoke moved, leading to Madara while she and her summon moved to where the man should dodge to. She began to do so and just when the air moved quickly to Madara and he dodged easily out of the way Kari actually hit him!

To say Madara was shocked would be a slight understatement. He had kept up his technique to make sure any attack would go through him, but she had hit him just at the right moment when it was down, and she had sent him flying to the wall with a crash. When he landed on his feet he felt a small sensation of approval at Kari's achievement. The last time he could remember getting hit was when he was in a battle with the Yondaime: Minato.

Kari felt Madara's presence disappear again and wondered where he was going until she felt him standing on her summon's back and she looked back with wide eyes. She mentally cursed and knew she now had no advantage of wining. He was touching her beast so he could now be unaffected by her summon's technique. She bowed saying, "You win Madara-sama."

Madara nodded, "I have to admit that I'm pleased Kari-chan."

Kari's eyes were wide with shock, "Really?"

The man nodded once again, "You actually got a hit on me."

Kari felt accomplished and pleased but the bowed lower, "Please forgive me Madara-sama."

He let out a chuckle, "It's the point of training is it not?" Kari stood erect and nodded. Madara continued, "Now shall we get something to eat? You're looking a bit hungry." Kari smiled and followed after him as he led her to the kitchen.

Kari felt wonderful that Madara was spending time with her, but she just wished that he didn't have to leave. She knew he had more important things to do, but she really wanted him to stay. She wanted to show how useful she could be so she could repay the man for all he's done for her. She still had Haru and all of her other gypsy family to pay back, but Madara had given her a purpose in life, a better chance at a new start. By the time they arrived in the dining area, Kari had her mind set to train longer and harder than she ever had before so she could help Madara with his purpose.

Madara turned to the young summoness, "So what shall we have?"

Kari tilted her head to the side and thought it was a bit strange to have Madara acting normal. No matter how many dinners they ate together, she would never get used to it. "Do you know if there is any udon left?" Madara nodded and headed to kitchen to get it. She let a sigh escape her lips as she felt content… the only thing that would make this better was if- and speak of the devil. Kari smiled when she sensed Zetsu and said to the air when she knew he was close enough to hear, "Good afternoon Zetsu-san." Kari was actually a bit surprised when she looked at the clock and saw she was right. Just how long was she training with Madara?

Zetsu smiled, "It seems you had a wonderful morning. **Happen to get over your horrid womanly problem.**"

Kari nodded, even with her partner she wouldn't want to talk about it, "All's fine and I just finished a training session with Madara-sama and we're about to have lunch." She tilted her head, "What's up?"

Zetsu nodded, "We have a mission later today. **Leader-sama ordered it so we have to go. **Do you think you can handle it Kari-chan?"

She nodded, "I'm fine now, so you don't have to worry Zetsu-san. When is later anyway?"

"After you eat." Zetsu replied, "**So hurry up.**"

"Ah if it isn't Zetsu. What's have you to report?" Madara placed Kari's bowl in front of her before he seated himself.

"**There are signs of the jinchuriki, but we are searching for the easier prey first. **The easier one's to find are always the most guarded." Zetsu replied and Madara acknowledged with a head nod.

Madara then turned to Kari and said, "Do you think that the King of Hell can help find them in anyway?"

Kari shook her head, "It can store them, just not find them."

Madara nodded, "Then do you know of your mission later today?"

"Zetsu-san just informed me, but as to the details, he has not." Kari stated.

Zetsu nodded, "**We're going hunting. **We're looking for the people who hold the Bijuu."

Kari quickly ate her food and when she was done she stood and bowed to Madara, "May I be excused?"

Madara bobbed his head and Kari climbed into Zetsu's fly trap and waved once to Madara before it closed and took her away from his sight.

Down the hall Kakuzu and Ri were walking down the hall with Ri stating, "Someone's here."

Kakuzu lifted a brow, "What does that mean?"

Ri shook his head, "Someone new." Ri looked ahead, "It's in the kitchen."

The duo sped their way, planning to intercept the intruder, but by the time they got there, they just missed the swirling air that took the presence away.

~oOo~

Half a Month Later

~oOo~

Kari finally saw the Ame Akatsuki base and smiled at how long it's been. She's never been on a mission that long before, but she was glad that they had located all the jinchuriki but one. The sanbi didn't have a jinchuriki so they still hadn't located it, but that would be found out sooner or later. She was just glad that she had training time and practice against shinobi or kunoichi who were holding information they needed. She didn't mind sleeping on Zetsu chest, truth be told, Kari was quite comfortable when sleeping in the flytrap, but nothing could top her bed in comfort level.

When she walked into the building, no one was there, but she didn't mind; she wanted her bed. She climbed the stairs and passed the other rooms still empty, and when she finally reached hers she let out a sigh of relief. Nothing had changed and nothing was ruined as Zetsu kept trying to scare her about. She let out a chuckle at the thought of her actually believing anyone in the current Akatsuki would ruin her room.

She fell onto her bed and was glad she ate before they arrived or she wouldn't be able to muster up the effort to feed herself. She closed her eyes, but no sleep would come. She stared at her wall and wished that sleep would come, and she then knew why. The markings on her stomach were beginning to burn and she had no idea what the cause was. She lifted her shirt and looked to see that the symbols were still the same, but there was nothing to give her any hints as to what was going on.

Out of no where the burning started to fade. She raised her brows at the sudden disappearance of the pain but her exhaustion caught up to her and she collapsed.

_**A/N:**_** 10 months at this point in the story until Kari is twelve! I'm happy because it means that I can spill out more of my plans! I can already tell you that there will be a time skip next chapter, but I don't know if it will the 10 months or I'll skip ahead to the night of the Uchiha massacre… it all depends on if I get an idea or if the small arc idea I had between her 12 and 13 year pulls through. Thanks all for reading and I'm sorry for being away for so long, but I can't apologize enough.**

**Also started college and needed to get a job now isn't exactly the best thing for fanfic…. I'll try to update frequently, but I can only promise once a month depending on whether or not I get time or inspiration. Thanks again for reading and remember to review! :D**


	14. TEMPORARY HIATUS NOTICE!

**I'm sorry to announce but I have to put this story on a temporary hiatus until I find out just who Tobi **_**really**_** is. I had a chapter all written out, but I then realized it wasn't up to par with what I wanted and so I scrapped it. **

_***SPOILERS AHEAD***_

**Then in the manga they confused us readers again by revealing that Tobi, who claimed to be Uchiha Madara, may not be him with the appearance of the real Madara's body brought back with the impure resurrection.**

_***SPOILERS END***_

**Anyway, I'm sorry for taking so long to update you guys but I need to know the truth about this interesting character before I continue to write the story so I don't mess something up. But thanks for the support and I hope I can update again for you soon.**


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